


Graham Crackers

by Cakedecorator



Series: Luka VS. Félix [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternative Universe - No Kwamis, Alya Césaire Ships It, Alya is the First Mate, Amélie Graham de Vanily spoils Félix, Asshole Félix Graham de Vanily, Biker Luka Couffaine, Bodyguard/Boyfriend Luka Couffaine, Code Words, Decent Chloé Bourgeois, Designer Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Entitled Félix Graham de Vanily, Even Chloé doesn't like Félix, Everyone Hates Félix, Everyone Ships Lukanette, Except Felix, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Félix Graham de Vanily is an Asshole, Félix is Adrien's placeholder, Gentleman Luka Couffaine, Good Friend Alya Césaire, Good Parents Sabine Cheng & Tom Dupain, Guitarist Luka Couffaine, Harassment, Jerkass Félix Graham de Vanily, Juleka Couffaine Ships It, Juleka is the Captain of the Lukanette Ship, Kitty Section (Miraculous Ladybug) - Freeform, Luka Couffaine Loves Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka is Marinette bodyguard/boyfriend (mostly boyfriend), Luka is a 21st Century Gentleman, Luka vs. Félix, Lukanette fluff, Magician Félix Graham de Vanily, Marinette Loves Luka, Marinette protection squad, No Adrien Agreste, No Lila Rossi, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Alya Césaire, Protective Luka Couffaine, Protective Sabine Cheng, Protective Tom Dupain, Pushy Félix Graham de Vanily, References to Canon, Sabine Cheng and Tom Dupain Ship It, She feels safe with him, Smart Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Song Lyrics, Sweet Luka Couffaine, Sweet Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Uncle Jagged Stone (Miraculous Ladybug), With and Without modifications, and that says a lot, girl code, late teens, lukanette endgame, safe words, smart classmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 33,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26367496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cakedecorator/pseuds/Cakedecorator
Summary: Marinette never thought an ingredient in one of the most popular campfire snacks in the world would be saving her skin.Ever since Félix Graham de Vanily started relentlessly pursuing her, she's never had any peace. It's gotten to the point where her friends and parents had to come up with a safe word for when he's nearby, either at school, or visiting the bakery to try and get to her.But the situation turns around when handsome and charming guitarist Luka Couffaine comes to the bakery and the two of them hit it off. Has Marinette found her prince at last?
Relationships: Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant, Luka Couffaine & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Tom Dupain, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sabine Cheng & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Luka VS. Félix [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965850
Comments: 64
Kudos: 208





	1. Bitter Grahams

Up in an attic bedroom in Paris, there was a young girl in her late teens with ebony hair, skin of cream, and eyes of sapphire. Her room was filled with pink, bolts of fabric, fashion magazine clippings, and there was even a desk with a sewing machine and computer on it.

"Girl, you're a friggin' _machine!_ " Another girl said.

She had dark red hair, tan skin, glasses over hazel eyes, and was wearing flannel in orange.

"Thanks, Alya," The first girl said as she was pleating some fabric for one of the dresses she was making. "It's nice to get some peace and quiet after school..."

"Yeah, Marinette, it can't be easy dealing with-" Alya began.

_*KNOCK KNOCK*_

"Marinette!" Sabine, Marinette's mother, called from below the bedroom door. "We're making graham crackers in the bakery! We'll bring some to you later."

"Thanks!" Marinette shouted as she locked the door to her room, and she and Alya looked at each other.

"Speak of the devil, much? Ugh, how annoying..." Alya murmured, face-palming and shaking her head, as Marinette put a finger to her lips to hush.

"Hopefully mom and dad will chase him off again as always." Marinette murmured.

"I'm surprised this is working as well as it is," Alya commented. "That was a convoluted plan, girl."

"Are you sure?" Marinette asked. "I know my plans are pretty complex, but I felt this one was pretty simple and straightforward."

"Keep it down!" Alya warned.

Marinette sighed.

After what seemed like half an hour...

_*KNOCK KNOCK*_

"All clear." Sabine said.

"Thanks." Marinette said before unlocking the door.

The girls breathed a _HEAVY_ sigh of relief as they collapsed onto the chaise lounge.

"Thank God he's gone." Alya said, relieved.

"Geez," Marinette wheezed. "I can never _breathe_ with him around."

"It was sweet of you to do what you did, but still..." Alya began.

"Don't scold me! I know I messed up!" Marinette protested.

"You meant well. He's the one taking things too far." Alya assured.

Marinette looked up to the trap door on her ceiling, and she wondered aloud, "How long is this going to go on? Are things ever going to change for me?"

Alya put a hand on her BFF's shoulder and said, "Things will, girl. You just gotta _make_ it happen."

"Question is, how..." Marinette muttered sadly.

The next day at school, Marinette was walking the hallways with Alya, talking about the homework they were doing, the classes they were taking, and more.

"Honestly, Mme. Mendeleiev doesn't take it easy on anyone," Alya complained. "That particle physics homework was a real pain."

"Yeah, it was _so_ hard to comprehend," Marinette agreed. "Does she even understand how tricky that subject is-"

Alya stiffed up, sucked in her breath, and she dragged Marinette into another hallway before ducking out of sight of _someone_.

"Alya, what's-" Marinette began, but Alya silently put a finger to her lips.

"Sorry, Marinette, but I remembered that I've been craving graham crackers today." Alya said before winking at Marinette.

Marinette groaned before face-palming. She gave Alya a nod in thanks.

Alya motioned for Marinette to stay in place. Alya peeked out from around the corner and moaned in disgust at the sight of the source of Marinette's distress.

A young man about their age, in a nice suit, slicked-back blonde hair, green eyes, a perpetual scowl, and a necktie.

Félix Graham de Vanily. The son of the recently-widowed owner of Graham Films, who moved back to Paris from London. To say the least, he wasn't popular. He was cruel, mischievous, _very_ good at deception, and never seemed to show any remorse for his behavior. Even _Chloé Bourgeois_ , the mayor's daughter and the resident brat and bully, didn't care for him, and _that_ spoke volumes.

But ever since he designated Marinette as one of the few people he was "nice" to, things at school went from average to _very_ unpleasant for Marinette. He'd go out of his way to find her and try to talk to her, getting invasive with her space and even trying to get close to her in her own home by constantly visiting the bakery and demanding to see her.

Félix was currently at his locker, getting his books. He shut his locker, then turned into another hallway.

Alya breathed a sigh of relief, and she came back to Marinette.

"He's gone." Alya said.

Marinette also breathed a sigh of relief before saying, "Good. Now let's get to class before he catches us!"

Marinette made a dash down the hall to try to get to the classroom, with Alya following behind.

The girls turned another corner, saw the door to their classroom, and felt like that was the exit and they _had_ to make a break for it, otherwise they were still at risk at running into the shark in the water.

At the door, they saw a smaller girl with short, pink hair, blue eyes, and wearing black sports gear with a hat on her head. She was rapidly waving at the girls.

Marinette and Alya dashed for the door, ran in and shut it. They slumped down to the floor.

"And Marinette wins the race to safety!" Alix Kubdel, the girl guarding the door, teased.

"Thanks, Alix." Marinette said as Alya was looking out the door window.

"Any run-ins with the prick?" Alix asked.

"Thankfully not." Alya said as she turned away from the door.

"That's good." Rose, a short-haired, blue-eyed blonde wearing pink said from her seat.

She was sitting next to a girl with brown eyes, long black hair with a purple fringe, and wearing black.

Marinette and Alya took their seats, and Marinette turned to the girls, saying, "Thanks for helping me out with this, girls."

"No problem," Myléne Hapréle, a shorter, chunkier girl with blonde hair in multicolored dreadlocks with a bandana. "Anything to make you feel safer."

"Yeah..." Marinette agreed.

"He came by the bakery yesterday." Alya told them.

"Again?" Rose questioned.

Marinette gave a nod.

"I'm so glad you came up with this plan, Marinette. It's really working." Myléne told her.

"We just gotta make sure he doesn't find out, otherwise we'll have to change tactics." Alya said to the girls. They all gave agreeing nods.

Later on, between classes, Marinette was at her locker, looking inside it to try and find her books for her next class. And she was trying her best to be fast, too.

"Ah, Marinette. There you are," A voice said. "I've been looking for you."

Marinette held back a groan.

She shut her locker door, and with disgust and bile filling up her stomach, she turned around and neutrally said, "Félix."

"Honestly, running around this place, trying to get time to talk to you is a pain, and you're never at home," Félix said as he tried to get Marinette up against the lockers. "We'll never get a chance this way."

"Because I don't _want_ to talk to you, Félix." Marinette said, her eyes darting around for an escape.

"Come on, playing hard to get this way is beginning to get old," Félix said as he leaned up closer to her. She sidestepped him to try and get away. "Though I will admit, it was adorable at first."

Marinette rolled her eyes up to the sky, her face clearly screaming annoyance and frustration. She was about to get out of the locker area, but Félix managed to trap Marinette against the wall. She tried to hold back a scream before turning her _angry_ eyes back to Félix.

He was still giving her the same look that combined passion with predation, with a twisted, wicked look in his eyes that was palpable. Marinette's stomach did a flip and she felt nauseas.

"I _do_ have another magic show I'm planning. Just for _you_." He said as he continued to lean in closer.

"Félix, listen to me, I..." Marinette began, trying to be stern with him.

"Marinette! Hurry up! We'll be late to class!" Alya shouted.

Marinette ducked down and away from Félix before running out to Alya.

Félix looked on, his eyes narrowed, his perpetual scowl on his face, and a growl at the back of his throat.

The two girls were running down the halls to get to the classroom, and Marinette said, "Thanks for that, Alya!"

"No problem, girl." Alya told her.

"I should've been more careful." Marinette spoke.

"Don't worry, you knew this wasn't foolproof." Alya assured as they ducked into the classroom before shutting the door.

"Let me guess: run-in with Félix?" Nino Lahiffe, a red-capped boy with tan skin and hazel eyes behind glasses asked.

"No kidding." Alya said as she sat down next to her boyfriend.

"Geez..." Nino sighed as he pulled his hat over his face. "That guy need a lesson in modern-day manners, dude."

"I couldn't agree more," Another voice said from nearby. It was a shorter, dark-skinned boy with short black hair, brown eyes, glasses, wearing green, and had a small robot hovering beside him. "Félix Graham de Vanily has tried to target Marinette... Um, how many times now, Markov?"

"At least 350, Max, and that's only here at school." Markov reported.

"Yes, at least 350 times, not including the times he tries to corner her at home _or_ whenever she has to help her parents out at any high-end functions where his probability of attendance is at least 77.6% and..." Max began, pushing up his glasses.

"Max, we get it," Kim, his seat mate said. He was a taller boy with olive skin, olive-shaped grey eyes, a sharp quiff of blonde hair on his hair _and_ wearing a red tracksuit. "Félix has been after Marinette for a while and I don't think he's gonna stop."

"Like how it took _you_ a while to stop pursuing Chloé?" Alya joked.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. What was I thinking?" Kim admitted. "But Ondine and I... _DA-YUM_ , why hadn't I noticed her like that sooner?"

"Because the saying goes, "love is blind," and you were so blinded by your "love" for Chloé that-" Markov began, but...

"Um, ever heard of rhetorical questions, Markov?" Max interrupted.

Everyone laughed at that.

"Don't worry about it, Kim. Bottom line, you and Ondine are adorable together." Ivan, a larger, chunkier boy with a blonde tuft of hair and freckles on his face said. He was sitting next to Myléne, gently holding her in his arms.

Marinette couldn't help but look around at her class.

Alya and Nino; Ivan and Myléne; Max and Markov; Kim and Ondine; Juleka and Rose...

Marinette had to wonder...

Was there anyone out there for her? Anyone that wasn't Félix?

* * *

After school that afternoon, (and narrowly avoiding Félix again), Marinette made her way home, and quickly finished up her homework. Now she was working with her parents in the bakery. She was manning the counter while her mom and dad were in the back, baking up the goods.

While she was treating the customers with the right customer service, including smiles, handling the sales, and giving the customers their desired baked goods, she was also keeping an eye out in case Félix came by the bakery like the day prior.

"Marinette!" Sabine called from in the back. "We're done with the cupcakes! Could you bring them out, please?"

"Coming!" Marinette said as she stepped in the back and she took the tray of cupcakes. They were dark chocolate with white chocolate ganache frosting and sprinkles.

She picked the tray up and was walking to bring the cupcakes out, when...

"Marinette, could you please put these baguettes out, too?" Tom spoke as he put the baguettes in her arms, avoiding the cupcakes.

"Yes, dad." Marinette said as she stumbled her way to the front.

The doorbell to the bakery rang out as the door opened. Marinette's vision was obscured, so she wound up tripping and the tray with the cupcakes _and_ the baguettes went flying.

"I've got them!" Someone shouted as the sound of clattering and a big "whew" were heard.

"Thanks," Marinette said as she stood up and took the tray. She looked up. "That would've been a dis..."

Her eyes widened just a touch as she laid eyes on her savior, who was carrying the tray of cupcakes in one hand while he had the baguettes in his other arm. His skin was tan, like he'd been in the sun for a bit, with crystal-clear blue eyes, like the water on a lake on a summer day. His hair was dark with teal blue tips, and he had black gages in his ears. He was wearing a dark blue jean-jacket, black jeans ripped at the knees, and his fingernails were painted black, too. He also wore a white Jagged Stone T-shirt. On his back was a guitar case. But most importantly, he was giving her a warm, friendly smile.

Marinette cleared her throat, and said, "Thanks, that would've been a disaster."

He chuckled in response, and said, "Glad I could help."

Marinette took the tray of cupcakes and put it in the case before the boy handed her the baguettes. She placed them in their basket.

She turned around and said, "Thanks again."

"No problem," He said. "Sorry if I scared you."

"No, I'm just clumsy like that," Marinette admitted with a giggle. She went behind the counter. "So..."

She tried to figure out something to say to start the conversation, but her eyes laid on his shirt.

"...You're a fan of Jagged Stone?" Marinette asked.

He chuckled and said, "He's my favorite singer."

"Same here." Marinette giggled.

The two of them were looking at each other with big smiles.

"So, is there anything I can get you?" She asked as she pressed the screen on the POS system to wake it up.

"I think four of those cupcakes sound nice, since I saved them from a spill." He joked.

Marinette laughed as she boxed up the four cupcakes. He handed her the cash and the transaction was complete. He took the box of cupcakes and he said, "Thank you."

"You're very welcome!" Marinette asked. "Will there be anything else?"

"Actually, I was thinking that maybe I could take up a bit more of your time," He casually said. Marinette looked at him in surprise. "I like talking to you."

Marinette gave a smile, and she pulled back, about to turn him down, but truthfully, she wanted to spend more time with him, too.

"Marinette!" Tom said as he came out from the back. "How are things going out here?"

"Fine, dad," Marinette said. "I was just finishing helping this young man out."

"It's nice to meet you, M. Dupain. My sister goes nuts over the desserts from here." He politely said.

"Please, call me Tom." Tom belly-laughed in delight.

"I was actually going to ask you if I could take your daughter out so we can talk some more." He said, gesturing to Marinette.

Marinette blushed a bit at that.

"Why, I don't think there would be any problem with that!" Sabine said as she also came out. She'd overheard everything. "Go and have fun, Marinette, but make sure you get back before dark."

"Are you sure that's okay, mom?" Marinette asked.

Sabine leaned in and whispered into Marinette's ear, "Honestly, I'd feel a lot safer knowing you're out and about in the city than in the bakeshop or the house right now. You never know when he could show up."

Marinette gave a nod, knowing what she meant, and said, "Thanks."

She came out from behind the counter, and said, "I'd love to go with you."

"Thanks," He said as he opened the door. "Don't worry, Monsieur and Madame Dupain-Cheng. I'll be sure to bring Marinette back before dinner time."

"I'm holding you to that, um..." Tom began.

"Luka. Luka Couffaine." The young man introduced himself.

 _'Couffaine? Where have I heard that name before?'_ Marinette thought, trying to wrack her memory.

Marinette followed Luka out of the bakery doors, and it soon shut.

Tom and Sabine sighed in relief before Tom said to his wife, "He seems like _such_ a sweet young man."

"I couldn't agree more." Sabine spoke.

Outside in the city, Marinette was walking along the streets with Luka, and the two of them were talking like old friends.

"So, which of Jagged's songs do you like?" Marinette asked. "I can't choose between any of them!"

"Neither can I," Luka admitted. "But his latest album, Rock Giant, is really good."

"I like it, too," Marinette agreed. "It's, as he would say, very rock-n-roll."

The two of them laughed at that.

I saw you have a guitar case on your back," Marinette pointed out. "You play?"

"I've been playing since babyhood." Luka confirmed.

"That's impressive. I'll bet you're really good." Marinette spoke.

"Wanna hear?" Luka asked as he found a bench.

"I'd lo- like to." Marinette said, but she covered her mouth in surprise at what she almost let slip.

Luka chuckled, almost as if he could tell what she nearly said. Luka sat on the bench, pat the seat next to him, and Marinette sat down next to him in response. Luka took his guitar case off his back before taking a brown, acoustic guitar with Jagged's image painted on it.

Luka started playing some random notes, but it all sounded like a very cohesive song. The monophonic texture of the song, combined with andante tempo in minor key made Marinette feel so at ease.

"What do you think?" Luka asked.

"It... It's beautiful." Marinette said. She gently laid her head against the back of the bench as she continued to listen.

Luka continued to play, and he looked at Marinette, a suave smile coming upon his face.

A few moments of quiet, the only sound being the standard city noise in the background, while the forefront was Luka's music.

_*DING*_

Marinette sat up, and pulled out her phone. It was a text from her mother.

_Sabine: "Félix came by, asking for you again, but I chased him off. So glad you're out of the house this time."_

Marinette just sent a thumb's up emoji back before putting her phone on silent and putting it away.

"Sorry about that. Keep going." Marinette said as she asked Luka to keep playing.

Luka obliged without hesitation, continuing to play his guitar.

Marinette felt so relaxed at the music, like all of her troubles were so far away.

Later on...

Dark had fallen, and it was time for Marinette to go home for dinner.

Luka had escorted her to the bakery storefront, and he said, "I had fun tonight."

"So did I," Marinette said to him. "We should do it again some time."

"I'd like that," Luka said as he took his phone out. "Shall we exchange phone numbers?"

"Great idea!" Marinette said as she mirrored his action and pulled her phone out, too.

After the two of them traded digits, Marinette went into the side door of the building and told Luka, "See you again?"

"Definitely." Luka said before turning around and walking away.

Marinette tried her best to hold back a sigh as she went inside to go back to her home.

At dinner that evening, Marinette was munching on her food, but her mind was distracted by blue eyes, a guitar, and a smooth, chill voice.

"So, Marinette, did you have a good time with that young man?" Tom asked.

"Oh, I did," Marinette said as she ate a bunch of her chicken. "I don't think I've felt so relaxed in such a long while."

"That's wonderful," Sabine said to her daughter. "He seems like a very sweet boy."

Marinette gave a hum and nod in bliss as she ate a bite of potatoes.

Marinette kept humming and chewing on her food, thinking about Luka and how she was so eager to see him again.

* * *

The next day at school, Marinette was still humming the tune of "Part of Your World," much like the scene in "The Little Mermaid" where Ariel was humming that same song after saving Eric and she was in her room.

She was leaning up against the walls of the hallway in her school.

"Marinette?" A voice asked.

Marinette continued humming, ignoring her friends.

"Marinette?" The voice repeated.

Again, no answer from the designer.

"Marinette, _graham crackers!"_ Another voice spoke.

At that, Marinette startled and looked around, freaking out.

"What?! Félix is close?! Hide me!" Marinette squeaked, only to hear giggling.

"Sorry about that, girl," Alya said. Marinette looked up and saw that most of her group of gal-pals (sans Juleka) were surrounding her. "But you were so far into la-la land that we were afraid that even if we _did_ use our code word, you wouldn't pay attention."

"Oh, sorry..." Marinette murmured. "I got distracted."

"That's for sure," Alix joked. "So, what's on your mind?"

"Um, well..." Marinette began, her eyes going askance, away from her friends.

The girls stared at her, all wondering what got Marinette so distracted. Alya looked at her intently, like she was examining a cadaver.

After what seemed to be a few seconds, Alya's eyes popped open and she said, "You. Met. A boy!"

"Wha?!" Marinette spluttered. She looked around frantically, and she blushed. "But... Well..."

All her friends were giving her knowing looks. Marinette sighed.

"Okay, _fine_ , I did! I _did_ meet someone." Marinette confessed.

Everyone started clamoring in delight.

"Details, girl! You gotta spill!" "What does he look like?!" "Any resemblance to you-know-who?" "How'd you meet him?!" "What's he like?!"

"Okay, okay, calm down, girls!" Marinette admitted, blushing.

"So, how did you meet him?" Alya asked as Marinette started to tell her story.

"Well, I was helping out at the bakery last night, and I was bringing out some cupcakes for the case when as usual, I tripped and they flew up into the air," Marinette began. "Out of nowhere, he comes in, catches the cupcakes on the tray like nothing. After that, we started talking."

"Really?" Alya asked. "Anything else?"

"He and I begin talking about Jagged Stone, since he's his favorite singer, too," Marinette continued as she went to the lockers to get her things for class. "Once I finish ringing him up for the bakery, he asks if we can spend more time together, saying he likes talking to me."

 _"Ooh~!"_ The girls squealed in delight.

"Mom and dad told me it was okay, but I think they just wanted me out of the shop." Marinette confessed.

"What? Why?" Rose asked.

Everyone gave Rose pointed looks, as if the answer were obvious.

"...Oh," Rose said, realizing it. "Yeah, if you're not in the house, that makes it harder for Félix to find you."

"Come on, girl, _more info!_ " Alya all but demanded. "What about his looks?"

Marinette blushed and began, "Well, he makes "tall, dark, and handsome" look _so_ natural. Dark hair dyed teal, beautiful blue eyes..."

Rose put a finger to her cheek and looked up, saying, "Hang on, that sounds familiar..."

"Name!" "Give us a name!" "Come on!"

"It's Luka-" Marinette began.

"Hey, Marinette!" A familiar voice said.

The entire group turned around to see Luka, standing next to Juleka.

"Luka? Wow, you're here!" Marinette said, surprised to see him.

"I was going to introduce you to my brother, Marinette, but it seems you've already met." Juleka giggled.

"I _knew_ it!" Rose squealed in delight, jumping up and down. "I knew you were talking about Luka, Marinette!"

"So _that's_ why your last name was so familiar," Marinette said. "I didn't know you had a brother, Juleka."

"The topic never came up." Juleka justified with a shrug before going back to her friends.

"I'll see you later after school, Juleka. I'll be in class," Luka spoke to his sister before looking to Marinette. "Hopefully I'll see you again soon, Marinette."

Luka winked at her, causing her to blush. Luka began to walk away, leaving Marinette all but swooning.

Marinette giggled and she said, "Isn't he amazing?"

"He sure is, Marinette," Rose began. "I wish you could've met Luka sooner."

"Ditto." Juleka began.

Marinette giggled as she listened to the girls' banter.

"So, Luka's in a band?" Marinette asked.

"Yep, along with me, Juleka, and Ivan. We're called Kitty Section," Rose began. "How about you come over to the boat sometime to listen?"

"Sounds like a great idea!" Marinette began.

Myléne looked forward and gasped before saying loudly and clearly, "Hey, girls, want any graham crackers?"

Everyone startled and caught sight of Félix coming down the hallway, and it didn't look like he'd seen Marinette yet.

 _'Shit!'_ Marinette thought.

"Thanks. See you in class!" Marinette said before pivoting on her heel and dashing down the hallway.

Once she was out of sight, the girls breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"That was close. Nice eye, Myléne," Alya spoke. "Now let's..."

"Hello," Félix began, getting the girls' attention. They all turned to him, giving him sour looks. "Have you seen Marinette?"

"No, we haven't," Alya lied. "Knowing her, she's probably going to be running late as always."

"Ugh," Félix scoffed. "The only person worth my attention isn't here? Boring."

" _You're_ the one who isn't worth _Marinette's_ attention." Alix spoke, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes.

"She'll come to her senses soon enough," Félix said, stepping forward, a wicked smirk on his face. "I, Félix Graham de Vanily, am the _only_ person worthy of her, and believe you me, she _will_ fall to my charm. So, tell her that I'm looking for her."

Félix walked away, confidence in his gait, and his cruel smirk still on his face. The girls shuddered.

"We _cannot_ let him get close to Marinette." Alya said to her friends.

They were all nodding and murmuring in agreement.

"Charm? Try _NOT!_ " Alix said, sticking out her tongue in a gag.

Everyone gagged in the same way.

Marinette had ducked into an empty classroom and was looking through the window to watch out for Félix.

She saw his blonde head walk past her classroom, and once he was out of sight, she counted to fifteen. She slumped down to the floor before standing up. She quietly opened the door and dashed in the direction opposite to Félix.

 _'I am SO glad we're not in the same class.'_ Marinette thought as she ran to the classroom before dashing in.

"Late _again?_ " A snarky voice said.

Marinette rolled her eyes and walked past Chloé, a ponytailed blonde with heavy makeup, wearing yellow and white. She was sitting next to a short-haired redhead with green eyes behind glasses and wearing a sweater vest with purple and green.

"Honestly, Chloé, I really don't need your persecution," Marinette said as she sat in her seat. "You wouldn't like it if Félix was relentlessly going after _you_ , either."

"For once, I agree with you," Chloé said, flipping her ponytail. "I don't envy you for what you're going through, but seriously... Why _you?_ "

"Oh, please, any guy going after _me_ has better taste in girls compared to whoever's dumb enough to get a crush on _you_." Marinette snarked back.

"Hey, I'm only asking it like that because even _you_ don't deserve to have Félix on your ass like this." Chloé said with a roll of her eyes.

"Glad we're on the same page about that." Marinette said before taking out her tablet to try working on some designs.

Her mind wandered to Luka, and as she started designing, black, several shades of blue, guitars, and Jagged Stone were recurring themes.

The door opened and the remainder of the girls in her group came in.

"Managed to duck him again?" Alya asked as she sat down next to Marinette.

"I sure did," Marinette said as she put her tablet down. She wanted her design to be a surprise for Luka. "He doesn't know when to quit."

"No kidding." Alya moaned.

"Did you manage to throw him off?" Marinette asked.

"Yep." Alya said.

"I'm getting tired of blowing him off this way, and every time I try to confront it directly, he won't listen." Marinette sighed.

"Girl, you need an escape from it all," Alya told her, before growing a mischievous smile. "Maybe you can text Luka and ask him out."

"Alya, no, we just met!" Marinette said, her blush upon her face. "Besides, let's get real: he's Juleka's brother!"

"Don't think that'll be a problem for Juleka," Alya said. "She _did_ want you to meet him, after all."

Marinette's eyes fell in thought.

Her phone started going off.

Marinette took it out and she said, "Speak of the devil. Luka texted me."

"What does it say, girl?!" Alya asked, eager.

"He's telling me that he wants to hang out with me again." Marinette began.

"Girl, that's a step in the right direction already," Alya said. "Text him back and tell him yes!"

"Okay, okay, I will!" Marinette laughed as she quickly replied to Luka's message, telling him that she'd love to do so.

After a few minutes, Luka replied to the message.

"He wrote back!" Marinette squealed.

"So?!" Alya asked, eager for more details.

"He's asking me if there would ever be any time to come over to hang out!" Marinette said, in delight.

"Girl, your parents already like him, so go for it!" Alya said.

"Okay, okay, I will! Just let me ask my parents first." Marinette laughed before texting her parents and asking for their permission for Luka to visit.

Tom replied back.

_Tom: "Of COURSE he can come over to see you! Why not invite him to brunch on Saturday and we can get to know him more?"_

"Dad gives the okay, so let me text Luka back." Marinette said as she texted Luka, asking him to come by for brunch that Saturday.

His reply: a thumb's up emoji.

Marinette smiled and heaved a sigh. She'd never been _more_ excited for the weekend.


	2. Sweet Marshmallows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luka comes over for brunch with the Dupain-Cheng family, and finds out about Marinette's troubles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Modified: Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles

**Okay! In this chapter, Marinette is looking forward to her day with Luka, including brunch. Meanwhile, Félix is still trying to get close to her, much to her disgust.**

* * *

Marinette was sitting on the stairs to the next floor of the building, sketching out a design in her sketchbook.

"Marinette?" A voice said, as she was still sketching and drawing, not listening to anything or anyone.

"Okay, maybe some stitching here..." She murmured under her breath, only loud enough for herself to hear.

Marinette had been tight-lipped about her design the entire time, keeping her sketchbook out of anyone else's line of sight, and she wasn't

"Marinette!" Someone spoke loudly.

Again, she wasn't paying attention, continuing to draw in her book with tunnel-vision-like focus.

"A little something here..." Marinette muttered.

But she felt her book leave her hands, via someone taking her book away.

"Hey! What are-" Marinette began, only to look up and grimace in disgust.

Félix had taken her book out of her hands, lifted it out of her arm's reach, and started looking down at her with the same narrowed eyes, smirk, and conceited look on his face.

"Félix... May I have my sketchbook back, please?" Marinette said as she stood up and tried to grab it.

"Sorry, Marinette, but I can't have your fashion design distracting you right now." Félix spoke.

"Ugh, _what_ do you want?!" Marinette asked as she tried to maneuver her way to grab the sketchbook and get away from him.

"What I want is to finally get a chance to talk to you," Félix began. "I'd like to see you at my house for lunch this Saturday. Mom's been dying to meet you."

"No," Marinette said immediately. "I already have plans."

"Oh?" Félix asked, quirking an eyebrow with his smile falling into a scowl.

Marinette realized that that statement could've been interpreted in multiple ways, so...

"I always have brunch with my parents on Saturdays." She elaborated, leaving out the detail about Luka.

"Can't you cancel? One day isn't going to hurt anything." Félix insisted.

"No," Marinette repeated again, trying to be as firm and final as possible. "The bakery business is very time-consuming for my parents, so it means a lot to us to have that family time together."

"Whoever said you couldn't have any guests?" He questioned, trying to corner Marinette.

"True, but..." Marinette began, trying to find a way out.

He leaned in closer, trying to get his face into hers.

"Then what's stopping you?" Félix asked, his predatory smile once again on his face.

"It's _private family time_ , Félix! Drop it _and_ my sketchbook!" Marinette shouted before slamming her foot on top of his foot. He shouted and let go of Marinette's sketchbook.

Marinette dove for it, snatched it up in her hands before it could hit the ground, and scrambled away and up the stairs as Félix shook his foot in pain.

 _'Oh, WHY won't he leave me alone?!'_ Marinette thought as she kept running.

Once she made it to the top, she turned on her feel and ran down the hallways. She planned on taking the "upstairs on one side and downstairs on the other side" approach to escape.

In addition to the code words they came up with, Marinette and her group designated some safe zones for outside of school, and/or escape routes for her while _at_ school.

One example was Marinette running up the stairs, losing Félix, then running back downstairs in the school in another part of the building. Marinette tried to make as many out-of-school-and/or-home commitments to get her out of the house more often to reduce the chances of her having to hide in her room when Félix dropped by her home.

As Marinette got to the other side of the building and made to get downstairs...

 _"AAAAAH!"_ Marinette screamed as she made one misstep and started falling down the stairs, like a swan-dive.

 _"I've got you!"_ Someone shouted.

_*THUD! BANG!*_

Marinette moaned in minor pain and she looked up, saying, "I'm sorry..."

A familiar chuckle rumbled from beneath her and he said, "We have _got_ to stop meeting up this way."

Marinette opened her eyes and looked at her savior.

"Luka!" She said in delight as she got off him and sat on her knees. "I'm so sorry..."

"It's fine," Luka said as he sat up. "I'm glad you're safe. You must be in quite the hurry."

"You might say that..." Marinette muttered as she and Luka stood up. "I'm excited to see you on Saturday."

"Me too," He replied. "If your parents cook as well as they bake, then I'm in for a real treat."

"That you are." Marinette laughed.

"Anyway, I gotta get to class. See you Saturday." Luka said before winking at her and walking away.

With that, Marinette couldn't help but loose a smile and giggle. She spun on her heel before skipping off to her classroom.

Nearby, Juleka had seen everything, and she was smiling brightly. It was small, but it was still bright. And she'd gotten it all on her phone, too. She sent it to Alya before sneaking off.

In Classic Literature, Marinette was sitting in her seat, next to Alya, while listening to Mlle. Bustier about the subject. In this case, the subject was the plot and character differences between the classic "Beauty and the Beast," compared to the 1991 and 2017 Disney adaptations.

"Now, we know that in the classic story, Beauty, or as we know her, Belle, had siblings that tried to prevent her from going back to the beast. Depending on the adaptation, which is from one to another, it's either greedy sisters, or because they genuinely believe that the Beast is just a monster at the core." Mlle. Bustier began.

Rose raised her hand.

"Rose?" Mlle. Bustier commented.

"But by that point, Beauty's already seen the goodness in the beast and is still sort of in denial about her feelings for him." Rose spoke.

"Excellent!" Mlle. Bustier replied.

"Now, in the classic story, the closest thing to a villain the story got was the siblings, but that changed when we got Disney's 1991 adaptation, in which we got Gaston, who was created to _really_ drive the point of the story, "true beauty lies within," home." Mlle. Bustier continued.

"Yeah, he _looked_ like a great guy, but _EW!_ He grossed Belle out with his arrogance and sense of entitlement, _and_ his attitude towards her and her passion for reading was horrible! He gives me the creeps," Alya cut in. "And when he found out about Belle's feelings for the beast, the ugly _really_ turned up to eleven."

"Kind of like Félix..." Nino muttered under his breath.

"Not like Quasimodo in Disney's "Hunchback of Notre Dame,"" Marinette added. "Poor Quasimodo. He was born the way he was, but he was treated so poorly for things beyond his control. Not only that, but he may have _looked_ horrible, but that didn't reflect who he is deep down. He didn't feel entitled to Esmeralda's affections at all, and even when he got his heart broken at seeing her and Phoebus kiss, he _still_ didn't try to break them up. He gave them his blessing at the end of the film. Now _that's_ a man."

"Excellent critical thinking, girls!" Mlle. Bustier said, clapping. "Marinette, it's like you're experiencing something like this yourself."

 _"You have no idea, Mlle. Bustier."_ Everyone - absolutely _everyone_ \- in the classroom said, collectively.

After school that day, Marinette bid her friends goodbye, and left the doorway.

"Hey girl!" Alya said as she ran up to Marinette. "Can I walk you home?"

"What? Why?" Marinette asked. "I only live across the way over there."

"It may be a short way, but I wanna be there in case Félix rears his hideous mug." Alya said.

"Thanks, Alya." Marinette said as the two of them started walking towards the bakery.

Marinette looked ahead and saw a familiar face and car...

"Hold up!" Marinette squeaked before ducking behind Alya.

"What's the matter?" Alya asked. "Is it Félix?"

"No, worse than that. Look." Marinette said before pointing out the car.

The car itself had the Graham Films logo on it. In front of the storefront, talking to Sabine, was a taller woman wearing a black women's suit, blonde hair in a side plait, green eyes, and had a smile on her face.

Amélie Graham de Vanily - Félix's mother.

"Oh, no..." Alya moaned, squeezing her eyes shut in discomfort.

"You never got back to me about introducing me to your little girl." Amélie began, with a tone of voice that _seemed_ sweet, but to a trained ear, it wasn't genuine.

"Mme. Graham de Vanily, I don't think you understand how Félix makes Marinette feel." Sabine started, her arms folded and looking up at Amélie with a stern look.

"But doesn't _she_ understand how my son feels when she plays games like this?" Amélie asked, with that same sickly-sweet tone.

"She's not playing games." Sabine stated clearly.

"I'd still like you to convince Marinette to go on a date with my son," Amélie spoke, her tone changing from sickening-sweet to firm and a bit cold. "Now, I have another appointment to get to. Be sure to persuade her to have dinner with us one night."

Amélie got in the car and it drove off.

Sabine sighed before looking out of her peripheral vision.

"Marinette!" Sabine said in delight as she and Alya approached her.

"Hey, mom," Marinette greeted. "Let me guess: Félix's mom was trying to get you to talk me into going out with him?"

"Yes," Sabine sighed. "Please, come inside. Alya?"

"I just walked Marinette home in case he showed up," Alya said. "Now, I gotta get going. See you later, girl."

"Thanks, Alya." Marinette said as the redhead started leaving.

Marinette went into the house through the bakery door, only to come upon her father who was working on some batter behind the counter.

"Hi, Dad," Marinette greeted. "Mom brought me up to speed."

"That's good," Tom sighed. "Honestly, I don't mind when she comes in to place orders for functions, but when it comes to trying to get you with her son..."

"I'm sorry, dad..." Marinette apologized.

"Not your fault, honey," Tom said as he put the bowl down. "Now, go up and do your homework, and once you're finished, see if any of your friends are available, just in case..."

"Thanks, dad." Marinette said before running up into the house.

As she shut the door to her room, she sighed.

"I'm trying my best to tell him, but it's like he's got a wax buildup in his ears or he just doesn't hear a word I say..." Marinette moaned.

She stood up and put her hands on her hips. She started tapping her foot and snapping her fingers in time with some jazz music that came out of nowhere.

 _"Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more!"_ She sang, before spinning on her feet as she kept going. _"Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more!"_

She cupped her hands around her mouth and quietly yelled through it, _"What I say?!"_

She went back to snapping her fingers in time and sang, _"Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more! Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more!"_

The music stopped and Marinette slumped onto her chair near her desk.

"Now that I'm at peace and all alone..." Marinette began before picking up her backpack to take out her homework and get her assignments done.

Physics was her hardest subject, so she decided to get that done first. She managed to scrape by with C's at worst, B's at best, but she wanted to do better, so she looked over her class notes and continued to focus on her physics work.

After about two hours, she got it done, and moved on to ones she had a better time with. Classic literature was the easier of the subjects she had assignments for, and using her own experience as well as the connections she made during classes and thinking about other books she's read, she finished that assignment lickity-split and moved on to her physics.

Once all her homework was finished, Marinette sighed in relief and pushed away from her desk. She spun in her chair before pulling herself back.

"Okay, homework is done, now for some fun!" She said as she pulled out her sketchbook and started continuing the sketch she had begun earlier.

As her mind wandered away from Félix and to the upcoming future of her weekend, her distressed frown slowly turned into a beautiful, serene smile.

That Saturday, Marinette was in the kitchen, helping her parents set the dining room table for four people. Her mother was in the kitchen, getting the beverages ready, meanwhile Tom was getting the food itself prepared for the meal.

"Marinette, why don't you go up to your balcony and keep an eye out for Luka?" Sabine asked.

"Great idea!" Marinette said in delight.

She ran up the stairs to her room, shut the door, climbed up to her loft bed, and lifted herself out of the trap door and onto her balcony. She looked out over the city-scape, which was backed by a clear, sunny day, with only minimal clouds. The breeze was comfortable, the temperature was just right, and birds, bees, and ladybugs were flitting around Marinette's little balcony garden.

Marinette really enjoyed these moments of peace where she didn't have to worry about Félix annoying her or any other stressors in her life.

But her musings were interrupted when she heard the sound of a motorcycle engine ring out. She looked down from the balcony and saw someone riding on a dual-sport bike pull up. He dismounted the bike, put the kickstand up, and turned to the bakery.

He pulled off his helmet to reveal himself as Luka.

Marinette smiled before giggling. She jumped back down through the skylight to go back into the house.

She dashed down the stairs to her room to make it to the door, just as the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Marinette said as she unlocked the door and opened it.

There he was, smiling his usual smile, holding his helmet under his arm, and still wearing his biker gear.

"Hi, Luka! Great to see you!" Marinette greeted. "Come on in!"

"Thank you," He said as he walked in. "It's nice to see you again, too. This is a beautiful home."

"Thank you, Luka," Tom said as he came in. "Welcome to our home!"

He hugged Luka and lifted him up.

"Hey, dad, set him down! You don't want him to suffocate, do you?!" Marinette asked.

Tom realized what he was doing before gently putting Luka down. He said, "Sorry, son."

Coughing and wheezing while catching his breath, Luka said, "Don't worry about it, sir-"

"Please, call me Tom," Tom interrupted with a smile before noticing Luka's helmet. "So, you ride?"

"Sure do." Luka said as he put his helmet down on one of the chairs.

"Well, you should come by whenever my mom's around. She's a biker, too," Tom laughed in delight. "Maybe she can give you some pointers."

"Tom, why don't we talk more at the table?" Sabine began. "I'm sure he'd like to talk over a nice meal."

"Sounds delicious." Luka said as he and Marinette walked to the table to sit and eat.

Luka and Marinette sat next to each other, sitting opposite Tom and Sabine.

The table setting included a spread of wonderful foods, like chicken _vol-au-vent_ on a tiered tray, a plate with _brasillé au_ _pomme_ , _oeufs cocotte_ with bacon, mushrooms, and cheese, and _pain perdu_.

"Wow, this looks amazing, but isn't this a bit much...?" Luka questioned.

"Oh, don't worry about it, son," Tom said. "Help yourself!"

Luka shrugged and he took an _oeuf cocotte._ He took his spoon and pierced the yolk in the pot before taking a bite.

After a few chews, he swallowed and said, "Damn, this is good."

Marinette smiled before she took one of the _brasillé au pomme_ and took a bite.

"Mm, this is great! The thin, crisp, flaky pastry is like a sword through the semi-tender, tangy flesh of the apples! And that warm, fresh-ground cinnamon inside it makes it feel like I'm in front of a campfire on a cold, autumn evening." Marinette praised.

"Thank you so much, Marinette!" Tom said.

Luka smiled at Marinette before taking a _vol-au-vent_ and raising it up to his mouth. He bit into it.

"Wow, this chicken is so tender and juicy!" Luka said as he took a few more bites and swallowed it.

"So, Luka, Marinette says you're a guitarist in a band." Sabine began.

"Yeah, it's a band with me, my sister Juleka, Rose, and Ivan." Luka explained.

"Oh, so you're Juleka's older brother?" Tom asked.

"Yep." Luka confirmed.

"I didn't know she _had_ a brother until the other day when she went to introduce us," Marinette commented. "She's not the Chatty Cathy type, so..."

"We say this to everyone who Marinette considers a friend, but you're welcome here any time, Luka." Sabine invited.

"Thank you," Luka said as he took a bite of the _pain perdu._ "Yum, this is delicious! Is that cardamom I taste?"

"It _is!_ " Tom replied in delight. "You've got a great sense of taste! Anyway, about that band of yours..."

"Yeah, we've got a great sound and we've had a few gigs here and there, but..." Luka began before turning to give a meaningful look at Marinette. "What we _don't_ have are stage costumes. Juleka told me you're aspiring to be a fashion designer?"

"Oh, I am." Marinette confirmed.

"Maybe you should come by the boat some time and you can design some costumes for us?" Luka suggested.

"I... I'd love to!" Marinette said as her face started to tint a little and she continued eating her _brasillé au pomme_.

Luka was looking at her with affection in his eyes. Tom and Sabine were watching with smiles on their faces, too.

Later, after they were finished eating, Tom and Sabine went back downstairs into the bakery while Marinette and Luka were up in the house, hanging out. They were playing UMSIII, and...

_"WINNER! WINNER! WINNER!"_

Marinette absolutely _crushed_ Luka in the game. Marinette's mecha was themed after a ladybug (her favorite insect), while Luka's mecha resembled a teal-blue-navy snake with fangs (he identified with snakes for all the non-stereotypical reasons).

Marinette was standing up and dancing while Luka was sitting on the sofa, laughing at his own expense.

"Damn, Marinette, Juleka told me you were good at this game, but not _this_ good." Luka commented as he tossed the controller onto the sofa.

"Well, now you've got a taste of what it's like to play this game with me," Marinette said. "Max and I actually won a school-wide UMS tournament!"

"Wow, that's impressive." Luka praised.

The two of them began laughing as they picked up the controllers.

"How bout another around?" Luka asked.

"You're on!" Marinette said as she and Luka started another round of the game, with the next difficulty level up.

They used the same mechas, and they were going at it like they did before, laughing, going for broke, but having so much fun that they all but _forgot_ that they were competing against each other.

Down in the bakery, though...

Tom was in the back kitchen, using the spiral mixer to make the bread dough for the boules, meanwhile Sabine had finished mixing and panning up chocolate cake batter for an order.

She was about to check the counter for any customers before moving on to making macaron batter...

_*DING-A-LING*_

Sabine looked forward and saw Félix come in, his usual cocky, cruel smirk on his face and his hands behind his back as always.

Sabine resisted an eye-roll, and she greeted, "Hello, Félix."

Tom heard that name and he quickly ducked out of the baking room to go upstairs and warn Marinette.

"Hello, Mme. Dupain-Cheng," Félix asked as he took a sample chocolate chip cookie from the counter and raised it to his mouth. "I see your case is full as always. How are sales going?"

"Very well, thank you," Sabine replied, trying to remain civil with him. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes," Félix said as he took a bite of the cookie. After chewing it and swallowing, he gave a smug smile. "Absolutely delicious cookies."

"Thank you, but are you here for Marinette?" Sabine asked, her tone cool and even.

Félix chuckled before saying, "You don't beat around the bush, do you? Yes, I'm looking for Marinette."

Upstairs, Marinette and Luka were still playing their game when Tom knocked on the door.

"Marinette?" Tom asked through the door.

Marinette paused the game, stood up and walked to the door. She said, "Yes, dad?"

"We have some graham crackers leftover from an order. Help yourself if you and Luka get hungry!" Tom said.

Marinette sighed, and replied, "Thanks, dad!"

At that, Marinette dashed to the TV, shut the game off, and snagged Luka's wrist, before telling him in a panicked near-hiss, "Come on!"

Marinette dragged Luka up into Marinette's room.

"Hey, what's-" Luka began to ask.

 _"SHHH!"_ Marinette hushed, frantic.

Once they were inside, Marinette shut the door and locked it, being as quiet as possible. She sat on the floor, letting out a _huge_ sigh of relief.

She couldn't hear anything from the immediate downstairs, so that meant Félix was still in the bakery and her mother was keeping him there, and he was either about to leave or he was still pushing for Sabine to let him in to see her. Her dad was probably down there to back her up.

"What was that all about, Marinette?" Luka asked. "Trouble?"

"Yeah, trouble with a capital T," Marinette admitted. "I... I probably should warn you about this, but..."

Marinette sighed before turning her face away. How was she going to explain this without scaring him off or making him feel uncomfortable?

"...Your safe word?" Luka asked.

Marinette whirled around so fast, she could've gotten whiplash.

"How'd you know?" Marinette questioned.

With a shrug, Luka said, "Intuition. You seemed pretty freaked out... Wanna talk about it?"

Marinette gave a nod and the two of them sat on the chaise lounge.

"Okay, there's this boy..." Marinette said, but she shuddered. "That's taken _too_ much of a shine to me, to put it mildly, and... Well... it's getting annoying."

"So "graham crackers" is your code word for when he's nearby?" Luka summarized.

"Right. We chose graham crackers because... Well..." Marinette said, before holding up the logo for Graham Films on her phone.

Luka looked at the logo and his brain was ticking. He said, "I get it. "Graham crackers" for Félix _Graham de Vanily_."

"Bingo." Marinette said as she put the phone down. "He won't take a hint no matter _what_ I say to him. I've come _so_ close to just snapping and slapping him in the face..."

"That sounds unpleasant." Luka stated with a scoff.

"No kidding." Marinette admitted.

Luka, sensing her mood, took out his guitar (he'd mentioned that he'd never go anywhere without it, and had his case on his back while they were playing), and started playing the instrument at a low volume. The sound was calming, quiet, and sweet. Like the sound of a brook bubbling in a quiet, wooded area, away from all the city-related drama. Hearing the music, Marinette closed her eyes, and imagined herself in that place, drawing out designs with her sketchpad and coming up with forest-themed designs.

Once Luka stopped, he looked at Marinette and told her, "I'm here for you in case you need anything."

"Thanks, Luka, but what I really need is for Félix to understand that I don't like him. _At all_." Marinette told him.

The two of them sat in silence as Luka kept quietly playing the guitar.

"So, how long are we going to have to be sitting like this?" He asked, keeping his voice down.

"It varies." Marinette confessed as she kept looking at Luka.

"Then why don't we enjoy this private time while it lasts?" Luka suggested as he sat down on the chaise lounge.

Marinette followed his lead and sat next to him. She put her hand to her chest as she listened to his music, feeling it soothe her and wash away her fears.

"I'm serious, Mme. Dupain-Cheng," Félix said, his arms crossed and looking at Sabine sternly. "Where's Marinette?"

"She's not here, Félix," Tom lied. "Now, if you're not going to buy anything, please leave."

Félix snorted and said, "Fine, but when she comes back, tell her I'm waiting for her to come around."

He left out the door. After counting to fifteen, Tom and Sabine sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness he's gone for now." Tom said in relief.

"I'll go give her the all-clear." Sabine said as she went back inside.

As Marinette let herself be lulled by Luka's music, he was looking at her with a casual smile as he continued to play.

_*KNOCK KNOCK!*_

On reflex, Luka accidentally played a sour note. While a bit annoyed at the interruption, he looked at the door as Marinette approached it.

"All clear, Marinette!" Sabine said from downstairs.

"Thanks, _maman_ ," Marinette said as she unlocked the door and opened it. "We can go back down now."

"That's good," Luka said as picked up his guitar and followed Marinette back into the living room area. "How often does this happen?"

"Almost daily." Marinette confessed.

"That sucks..." Luka spoke, not sure what else to say.

"Doesn't it, though..." Marinette said rhetorically.

Luka sat on the couch as he went back to playing the guitar for Marinette. Meanwhile, she continued to smile and giggle at his music.

* * *

A few hours later, Luka left for his home, and the rest of the weekend came and went without incident.

That following Friday, Marinette was walking to her locker, humming along to "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid" again, caution out the window and her guard temporarily down.

But once she got to the locker area...

"Meep!" Marinette quietly squeaked before hiding behind the wall. She peeked out, only to see Félix standing in front of someone else's locker, looking around for her.

 _'Crap, I should've been paying attention! Or at least have asked Alya to play lookout as usual!'_ Marinette thought. _'But I can't just wait for him to leave, either!'_

Mentally pushing down the bile in her stomach, Marinette took a deep breath, straightened out her back, and started walking to her locker.

"Ah, Marinette," Félix greeted as he leaned off the wall. "I've been waiting for you."

Marinette didn't answer, instead opening up her locker to gather her books and materials.

"Aw, giving me the cold shoulder?" Félix teased with a chuckle, his eyes narrowing. "How adorable."

Marinette moaned and rolled her eyes before slamming her locker shut. She was about to turn away...

But Félix grabbed her wrist and said, "Listen, Marinette, it's time for you to stop messing me around!"

"Excuse me?" Marinette asked as she tried to pull away.

"You've been toying around since the beginning, and it stops _now,_ " Félix spoke, his scowl upon his face and his eyes narrowed, still. He began to corner Marinette against the wall. "Just stop making this so complicated. All I want is for us to be something... More..."

Marinette felt like she was about to throw up. She glared him down, and was about to lift her knee to hit Félix where the sun didn't reach...

Félix felt someone's hand on his shoulder and he was yanked away before that same person stepped in between him and Marinette.

"Leave her alone." A familiar voice said.

Marinette looked up and saw that Luka had stepped in. He was staring Félix down in distaste, his arms were crossed, and he made sure the extra few inches in height he had were being put to use.

"Excuse me?" Félix spat. He pointed to Marinette. "She's going to be my woman, so I can do whatever I want!"

"No, you can't," Luka stated. "Didn't your parents teach you any respect or manners? You don't treat a girl like this, and when she tells you "no," you _listen_ , and you _respect_ her wishes."

Félix was about to protest, but Luka brushed him off by turning to Marinette, putting an arm around her shoulder, and saying, "Come on, let me get you out of here."

"Thanks." Marinette said as Luka escorted her out of the locker area, all without giving Félix a second glance.

Félix was looking on, confused, and looking at Luka's back in suspicion.

* * *

Later after school, Marinette was walking out of the building with Alya and Nino.

"Sure you don't want me to walk you home, girl?" Alya asked.

"No thanks, Alya," Marinette told her with a smile. "Luka's bringing me to his place so I can watch him and Kitty Section rehearse."

"Ooh, you and Luka, huh?" Alya said, a knowing, mischievous smile on her face.

Marinette blushed and said, "Yeah, me and Luka... Speaking of whom, he stepped in to help me out with you-know-who today."

"Really?" Nino asked. "Luka knows?"

"He found out on Saturday when the little pest came by the bakery. _Again_." Marinette said, crossing her arms.

The others sighed in annoyance.

"You sure you'll be fine alone, Marinette?" Alya asked.

"Yeah, I'll just wait here for Luka," Marinette told her. "Go, have fun. Both of you."

"Okay, but remember that we're here to help you." Alya said.

"Thanks." Marinette said as Nino and Alya joined hands and started to leave.

Marinette walked down the curb of the road and stood there, waiting for Luka.

 _"Salut jolie fille!"_ Someone shouted as she felt a hand come around her shoulder. Marinette knew that voice and the touch made her shudder.

She groaned and greeted coldly, "Félix."

She turned to glare him down as he gave her the same smug smile he always had on his face.

"Do you mind?" Marinette asked as she brushed Félix's hand away. "I'm waiting for someone."

"I don't care. _Finally_ , I can get some time alone with you." He said smugly.

"Félix, I mean it, I'm waiting for someone!" Marinette repeated, her tone stern.

Félix opened his mouth and said, "While you're waiting, my mom wants you to-"

The roar of a motorcycle engine rang out, and Félix covered his ears.

Marinette looked up with a big smile, and thought, _'Right on time!'_

Luka, wearing leather biker gear and a teal blue helmet on his head, pulled up on his motorcycle. From a high-angle shot (like on top of Marinette's balcony), one couldn't really see the design. But now Marinette could see the design of the bike more clearly. The exterior body was black with a Caribbean blue snake.

Luka took his helmet off and looked at Marinette in greeting.

"Hey, Marinette," He said. "Sorry I kept you waiting."

"Not at all." Marinette said with a smile.

Luka handed Marinette a helmet, and he said, "Here, I got a spare helmet for you."

"Aw, thank you!" Marinette said as she took the helmet and put it on, climbed on the back of the bike, and hugged Luka from behind.

"We'd better get going, the rest of the band is going to be waiting for us." Luka said, with Marinette nodding in agreement.

"Now hang on a second!" Félix protested as he tried to grab Marinette's arm.

"Let go!" Marinette barked back before taking her arm away.

"Who _are_ you?!" Félix demanded of Luka. "You've already interrupted me once before! I won't let you get in my way again!"

Instead of answering Félix, Luka put his helmet back on, put his hands on the handles, and asked Marinette, "Shall we go?"

"Yes, please!" Marinette said.

Félix raised his voice to speak, but Luka revved up the engine to drown Félix out, and he spun the wheels to kick up the water in the puddle it was in. Luka sped off on his bike while letting the exhaust cover the blonde offender, leaving Félix soaking wet, dirty, and coughing. Once he caught his breath, Félix growled in rage and wiped his face with his hand before shaking it to get the muck off.

"Perfect timing, Luka!" Marinette said, her voice loud so Luka could hear her.

"Glad I got you before he could try anything." Luka replied as he sped down the road.

Marinette, feeling so safe, hugged Luka by the waist and laid her face against his back. Luka chuckled as he kept driving to the boat along the Seine.

* * *

**Okay, that's that for this chapter. Like I said before, the more attention this story gets, the better. Say what you want, but I thrive on positive reinforcement.**

**Coming up, as Luka and Marinette grow closer, their friendship starts becoming something more.**


	3. Smooth Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After escaping from Félix, Marinette and Luka grow closer...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! WOW, I wasn't expecting that many comments in one night. I can't wait to see what else you guys have to say for this story!
> 
> Song(s) Included, with/without Modifications:
> 
> I Was Made For Lovin' You - Kiss  
> The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra  
> Jimmy - Thoroughly Modern Millie

At the bakery, Tom and Sabine were working near the front, tending to customers and selling their pastries.

"Marinette's not home yet..." Tom commented.

"She told me she was going to be hanging out with Luka and his band today." Sabine told him.

"Ah, so she and Luka are spending time together, huh?" Tom said, a big smile coming on to his face.

"Yes, indeed." Sabine laughed.

_*DING-A-LING*_

"Hello, and welcome to..." Sabine began to greet, only to see Amélie. "Oh, um... Mme. Graham de Vanily. How may I help you today?"

"Sabine, while I'd normally _love_ to ask you about your daughter, I'm actually not here for that," Amélie said as Tom came forward. "We actually have a substantial order for desserts for a function."

"Right this way." Tom said as he led Amélie to another room for a consultation. He gave Sabine a knowing nod.

Sabine waited for Tom to leave before taking out her phone.

Meanwhile, at the Seine...

"So... _This_ is your home?" Marinette asked as she looked at the boat, a bit flummoxed.

"Sure is." Luka said.

It was a very colorful, albeit cluttered and disordered houseboat. There was a huge sign that said "Liberty" towering over the boat.

Luka walked up onto the gangplank and he turned to Marinette. He held his hand out to her and said, "Come aboard, Marinette."

Marinette reached her hand out and took his, and he helped her get on board.

"So, where's everyone else?" Marinette asked.

"Below deck," Luka explained as he guided Marinette below the deck and into the hold. "We've gotten in trouble with Officer Roger a few times for noise disturbance... Or more accurately, mom's refusal to let us turn down the music. With our mom, no rules, nothing."

"Wow, no structure? Sounds... different." Marinette commented.

"Yeah, it _sounds_ great, but believe me, once you have it, you don't want it anymore." Luka chuckled.

He led Marinette into the living room below deck and said, "Hey guys, we're here!"

Rose, Juleka and Ivan looked up, and Rose said, "Hey, Luka!"

"Marinette. Great to see you." Juleka greeted, quiet as always.

"So, how about we get to work and start rehearsal?" Luka said as he took his guitar out.

"Great!" Marinette said as she sat down on the couch while the others began to turn their instruments.

"Oh, by the way: here." Luka said as he tossed a pair of earplugs to Marinette.

"Earplugs?" Marinette asked.

"Trust me." Luka said with a chuckle.

Marinette, not questioning it, put the earplugs in her ears before looking up to watch Luka and the others play. As Rose began to open her mouth to sing...

 _"You know I love unicorns! And nothing makes me feel better! I see their faces everywhere I go, I dream about them in the night~!"_ Rose crooned.

Marinette had a tense smile on her face as she listened. But hearing a rock song about unicorns, the band name being "Kitty Section"... Marinette gasped in delight and whipped out her sketchbook and pencils. She immediately got sketching.

Within minutes of their rehearsal, Marinette had filled her sketchbook with unicorn-kitty masks and armor/breastplate like outfits to go with the costumes, each in one color scheme per person - pink for Rose, purple for Juleka, red for Ivan, and finally, blue for Luka.

 _"And nothing makes me feel better!"_ Rose sang, wrapping up the song. The rest of the group finished playing, and they all laughed.

"This is going to be one great song," Luka said as he put his guitar down. "Hey, Marinette? What did you...?"

He noticed her nose was in her sketchbook. At first, he was confused. Didn't she like their song?

He walked over to her, and he looked over her shoulder to see what she was working on.

"Hey, are those costumes for us?" Luka asked.

Marinette screamed a bit in fright before catching her book. She sighed in relief.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Luka apologies.

"It's okay." Marinette said as she went back to the page she was working on.

"But you didn't answer my question," Luka asked with a smile and a teasing tone. "What were you working on?"

"Your stage costumes," Marinette stated as she showed him the book. "What do you think?"

Luka looked over the pictures, looking at all the angles she drew the pictures in, the details, the colors, and how each outfit was tailored to the band as a whole while incorporating each individual member's style and preference.

Marinette was looking at him in anxiety. Would he love them? Hate them? Tell her a few things he did or didn't like? What would his reaction be?

"Marinette, I don't _like_ these costumes, I _LOVE_ them!" Luka spoke, laughing. "Hey guys, come take a look!"

Juleka, Rose, and Ivan put their instruments down before running over to look at Marinette's sketches.

"Oh, these are so cute!" Rose squealed.

"Just our style, but with the right colorations." Juleka commented.

"Beautiful work." Ivan agreed.

"Then these should be our costumes! Marinette, you're amazing!" Luka praised as he smiled.

Marinette once again blushed as she gave a shy giggle.

Juleka and Rose gave smiles to the scene.

"Hey, since I don't have the materials I need, why don't I go back to my place and bring them here?" Marinette suggested.

"Great idea!" Ivan agreed, giving Marinette a thumb's up.

Marinette stood up and was about to leave, but...

_*BRING BRING*_

Marinette took her phone out of her bag and saw it was her mom.

" _Maman?_ " Marinette asked aloud as she picked up and put her on speakerphone.

 _"Marinette, where are you right now? Are you on your way home?"_ Sabine asked.

"I'm just about to leave Juleka's houseboat and come home so I can gather some materials to make costumes for Luka and the band." Marinette told her.

 _"Do you think you could stay there for a few more hours?"_ Sabine asked.

"What? Why? Is there... Oh, Félix, right?" Marinette questioned.

 _"Not quite. His mother. And to make matters worse, she's actually here to order desserts for a function, so she'll be here for a while."_ Sabine confirmed.

Everyone barring Luka was complaining loudly at the news, Marinette especially.

"Dang it! Luka and the band wrapped up their rehearsal, so I don't have anything else to do..." Marinette admitted.

 _"Why don't you and Luka go around the city and have fun for a little while?"_ Sabine suggested.

"Are you sure?" Marinette asked.

 _"Yes, I'm very sure."_ Sabine said.

"I'm game." Luka agreed.

 _"Good! I'll call you when it's all clear."_ Sabine said before hanging up.

"Are you sure it's okay for us to just... Go?" Marinette asked.

"Of course it is." Juleka said, with a smile on her face.

"We're done with practice today, so it's no biggie." Rose said.

"It's totally cool," Ivan said. "I've got a date with Myléne later."

"In that case..." Marinette said, her smile growing and looking at Luka.

"Let's go!" Luka said. "I'll get my gear and meet you out there."

Luka dove into his room. Meanwhile, Marinette ran up above deck, more than happy to wait for him outside.

"Oh, if things continue like this, Lukanette will sail before we know it!" Rose said as she hugged Juleka and started jumping up and down in delight.

Ivan was smiling, too.

Juleka looked up to the stairway to the deck, and she thought, _'I know you like him, Marinette, so make a move!'_

About ten minutes later, Marinette was outside, and she'd crossed the gangplank with Luka (who'd changed into his gear), and she noticed that he was giving her an affectionate smile. Marinette returned the smile as he led her around the boat, where he'd parked the bike.

They took up their helmets, put them on, and Marinette sat behind Luka on the bike. He started the bike and rode it up a nearby ramp and onto the streets. He drove the bike along the streets, with Marinette hanging on tight.

"You seem pretty comfortable on a motorcycle, Marinette." Luka said loudly to her.

"My grandma takes me for rides on her bike every now and again, so I've got some experience." Marinette replied.

"Oh, yeah, I remember that your dad mentioned that!" Luka said, remembering that conversation.

Marinette leaned her face against his back, and took in the clean scent of detergent with a nice splash of lemon that lingered on him, like he'd just showered and washed his clothes. It was natural, fresh, and _so_ unlike the overly-artificial and musky stench that Félix's colognes often gave off.

Their first stop was a nearby arcade, which had so many kinds of games. Marinette and Luka were in front of the DDR machine, and they were on the player-vs-player mode, they were standing next to each other, and they were doing their best to step on the arrows with precision timing.

Marinette was stepping on the arrows like she was a professional, and she was neck-and-neck with Luka.

"Wow, you're pretty good at this, Marinette," Luka said as he mis-timed his footing on one arrow and was starting to slowly fall behind Marinette in scoring. "You dusted me at UMSIII, but I didn't think you'd be good at video games _period_."

"I've had practice." Marinette said with a laugh as she did one spin and got bonus points on a combo step.

Once the song ended, the game announced the winner, which was Marinette, unsurprisingly.

"Wow, you beat me by 10,000 points? That's impressive!" Luka praised.

"10,000? That's actually pretty close for me," Marinette admitted. "Normally the gap is a lot more..."

"Seriously?" Luka chuckled with a smile. He looked to the side. "Hey, wanna try "Just Dance" next? Instead of dancing against each other, how about we try our hand at how good we are as a team?"

"I'd love that!" Marinette said. Luka smiled, took her hand (which made her heart sing with joy) and brought her over to the other dancing game.

The two of them put on a song, specifically "I Was Made For Lovin' You" by the band Kiss.

The music started, and the two of them started dancing, completely in-sync with each other once the lyrics were playing out.

_"Tonight I want to give it all to you. In the darkness, there's so much I want to do."_

Luka swiftly took Marinette's hand and they were tapping their feet in time with the music, in accordance to the game.

 _"And tonight I want to lay it at your feet_ , _'cause girl, I was made for you_. _And girl, you were made for me."_

While they were supposed to be paying attention to the game, their eyes were looking at each other instead of the screen, and even _that_ didn't slip them up.

 _"I was made for lovin' you baby!_ _You were made for lovin' me!_ _And I can't get enough of you baby_ , _can you get enough of me?"_

The two of them were dancing so well, so in-sync with each other, like they'd done it millions of times before. Hell, they were gathering a crowd.

"Wow! Those two are good!" "It's like they've been doing this forever." "They're such a great team!" "And an even _cuter_ couple!"

Hearing that comment, Marinette blushed. Immediately, as cued for in the game, Luka put his hands on Marinette's hips, dipped Marinette down by her waist, and she looked up at him in delight. She giggled as he pulled her back up and the two of them kept dancing.

 _"Tonight I want to see it in your eyes_. _Feel the magic._ _There's something that drives me wild_. _"_

The two of them started doing more complex dance moves, and they were hitting the mark every time. They were laughing, dancing, and giving each other praises.

"Wow, this is our first time doing this together, and it's like we've been doing this forever." Luka praised as he did an underarm turn with Marinette before pulling her into his embrace.

"You should see Alya and Nino when they do this game. They're pros." Marinette said to him.

Marinette and Luka looked each other in the eyes as they continued dancing.

 _"And tonight we're gonna make it all come true_ , _'cause girl, you were made for me!_ _And girl I was made for you!"_

Once the song was over...

_*AWESOME, YOU BEAT THE PREVIOUS HIGH SCORE!*_

Everyone around them was cheering for the two of them.

"Hey girl!" Someone shouted to Marinette.

She looked to the girl in the crowd.

"You and your boyfriend are amazing!" She said.

Marinette blushed, and she thought, _'Boyfriend?! Is... Is that what we look like? A couple?'_

She looked to Luka, who seemed as chill as always. He chuckled as the guys were praising him for having such an adorable and talented girlfriend. Luka looked back at her with a smile.

 _'Well, we just met... But... the two of us being an item... Is that what we are already?'_ Marinette thought, wondering what her relationship with Luka really was.

But she hadn't any time to dwell on it, as Luka took her hand and said, "That was fun. What should we do next?"

"I don't know, but..." Marinette began, her face still tinted a bit rouge.

Luka felt his stomach grumble and he said, "Wow, after all that dancing, I'm a little hungry. Wanna get something to eat?"

"Yeah, I could go for a snack." Marinette said.

"Back to the bike?" Luka suggested. "We can ride around and see if we find something to eat."

"Great idea!" Marinette said as Luka led her back out to the motorcycle.

Helmets and gear on, and they were zooming down the roads once again.

After about ten minutes, Luka saw André the ice cream vendor of love on the bridge above Canal Saint-Martin, and he said, "Want some ice cream?"

"Hey, that sounds delicious!" Marinette said. Luka chuckled and pulled up on the side of the road near the bridge. He put the kickstand up, dismounted, and took his helmet off.

"Shall we? My treat." Luka said as he held his hand out.

Marinette blushed, giggled, and got off the bike after taking Luka's hand.

They approached André, and the portly, happy ice cream maker smiled in delight at the two blue-eyed teenagers.

"Ah, such a beautiful pair the two of you make! Let me give you an ice cream treat for you to take!" He said as he started scooping an ice cream for the two of them to share.

Marinette was still blushing and smiling at the idea of her and Luka being a couple.

"Blueberry for your eyes the two of you share, with sweet vanilla bean which has a natural taste and flair," André said as he started scooping the ice cream onto the cone. "Warm Cassia cinnamon, its spice makes you feel secure. And finally, dark chocolate, which gives you a sense of loving and safety, that I'm sure."

He presented the dish to the two of them, and it had two spoons in it. Marinette and Luka each held on to it with one hand, and Marinette said to André, "Thank you so much."

"No problem at all, sweet girl. I see this young brings happiness and a sense of calm to your world!" André said.

Marinette looked at Luka again and thought, _'How apt.'_

Luka took a bite of the ice cream and said, "Damn, this is good."

Marinette laughed as she took a bite from her spoon and she also smiled at the familiar and warm flavors in the ice cream. She felt like she was with Luka in her house, sitting on the sofa in front of a crackling fireplace on a cold autumn night, drinking hot cocoa with a soft, pillowy vanilla bean whipped cream, all while eating a warm, tangy piece of blueberry pie with cinnamon in the filling, combined with the _just-so-slightly_ crisp and tender pie crust, which gave the pie's filling a next, textural foil.

"Mm, this _is_ good..." Marinette agreed as she and Luka sat down to eat the ice cream together, each taking turns taking bites.

The rest of the day was spent going with the flow.

They were riding on Luka's bike around the city, going around to different sites to have fun.

They first went to the Champs-Élysées, one of _the_ most famous avenues in Paris. They went around to so many of the retail clothing stores, looking at so many of the wares they had.

"This pink camisole looks adorable!" Marinette said as she picked up the aforementioned garment and looked it over.

"I think it'd look cute on you, too." Luka agreed.

"Oh, but this black jean jacket might look nice on _you_." Marinette said as she picked up the jacket and held it up to Luka. She looked up at him, and the two of them locked eyes for a moment before he smiled and she blushed.

"Personally, I'd rather wear something you designed, Marinette." Luka told her.

Marinette giggled at that request, thinking in the back of her mind, _'That might be sooner than he thinks.'_

Once they were done at that particular shop, the two of them went to a musical instrument store to explore what was available.

"Wow, look at all the instruments!" Marinette said as she looked at all the musical instruments that were on the walls. Violins, drums, trumpets, you name it, it was there.

"Yeah, this is where I got my guitars." Luka said as he showed Marinette around.

"Hey, a flute." Marinette said, pointing out a flute on the wall.

"You play?" Luka asked.

"No, just a few notes, but that's it." Marinette told him.

"Then how about I show you a few guitar tricks?" Luka asked as he brought Marinette to one of the guitars on the wall.

He took it off the wall and he put it in front of Marinette while standing behind her.

Marinette's heart pounded at the proximity as Luka guided her hands onto the guitar, and they were placed where they should be.

Luka used his hands to teach Marinette how to play the scale, and while she was screwing it up a bit, since she was a beginner, but Luka took it in stride.

Once they were done there, the sun was beginning to set. Their next destination was to the Place de la Concorde to ride the ferris wheel.

The two of them were sitting side-by side in the gondola car and they were slowly going up and up.

"It's beautiful out this evening, isn't it?" Luka asked.

"Yeah, it is." Marinette agreed as she looked at the sun, which was slowly setting as the gondola car kept rising up and up.

The glowing, orange orb in the sky was turning the clouds a dark purple with pink streaks, while the sky itself was lavender purple with with striations of dark pink, orange, and the occasional yellow.

"Think you could design something based on this color scheme?" Luka said, gesturing to the scene.

"Yeah, I can." Marinette said as she looked at Luka, who looked _very_ handsome with the backlighting from the sunset, the blue undertones in the clors highlighting his features and his eyes.

Marinette's heart stilled for the briefest of seconds before her smile melted with delight.

The two of them were still watching the sunset over the Arc de Triomphe.

Later that evening, Luka brought Marinette to a music club for people eighteen and under for dinner back at the Champs-Élysées. They were sitting in the crowd at a table set for two. It was in front of the stage, where the bands would play.

The featured band playing that night was a local jazz quartet, which featured a trumpet, a saxophone, a drummer, and one singer. They were riffing off "The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra.

 _"Some day, when I'm awfully low, when the world is cold, I will feel a glow just thinking about you... and the way you look tonight."_ The band's singer trilled.

"Wow, they're good." Marinette praised.

"Yeah, jazz is filled with so many variations and so much riffing off one another, one would think it creates a really cacophonic noise, but it doesn't. It's really beautiful." Luka added.

While the two of them were watching the band, Luka gently put his arm around her shoulder. Marinette didn't protest, instead putting her hand on top of his.

 _"Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm, and your cheeks so soft. There is nothing for me but to love you and the way you look tonight."_ The singer crooned.

"I don't think I've ever heard such great music aside from you and Jagged Stone." Marinette confessed.

"Well, this is a treat for you, isn't it?" Luka joked.

"Yeah!" Marinette laughed as she turned to look Luka in the eyes.

_"With each word your tenderness grows, t_ _earing my fear apart._ _And that laugh that wrinkles your nose, i_ _t touches my foolish heart."_

The two of them were giving each other tender smiles and they were slowly leaning in closer. Their eyes were slowly, subtly lidding...

The server brought them their meal, and inadvertently killed the mood between them.

The food they had for dinner included baskets of baguette slices with butter, there was tartiflette, coq au vin, _and_ pistou soup. Since they had ice cream earlier, they didn't bother with dessert.

"Mm, this is so good," Marinette said with a satisfied moan in delight. "I've never had coq au vin so delicious!"

Luka chuckled at Marinette's delight, and the two of them kept eating. But Luka was more focused on his dinner date rather than his dinner. His eyes were glued to Marinette's smile and laugh.

 _"Lovely, never ever change. Keep that breathless charm. Won't you please arrange it? Cause I love you, just the way you look tonight."_ The singer continued.

Marinette and Luka kept eating and talking to each other, having so much fun, and they were in their own world.

That evening, the sky was dark and covered in stars. The pair was making their way to the bike.

_"Just the way you look to-onight..."_

The two of them were chatting it up and having a nice conversation.

"This was such a great day, Luka!" Marinette said.

"I had a great time, too, Marinette." Luka confessed to her.

There was the sound of a text alert.

"Wait, that's me." Marinette said as she took out her phone.

She noticed that she had a missed voicemail from her mother that she'd made about three hours prior. Surprised, Marinette opened up the message.

 _"Hi, Marinette. I'm just calling to let you know that Amélie's gone, and it's safe to come home. But considering that you didn't pick up, I'm going to assume that you and Luka are enjoying yourselves. Have fun, and make sure to call or let us know when you come home."_ Sabine's recorded voice said.

"Wow. I can't believe we were out for this long." Marinette admitted.

"I guess we were having too much fun," Luka chuckled. "Shall I drive you home?"

"Yes, please!" Marinette said as they took up their helmets. They got on the bike and Luka started driving off to the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

After about a few minutes, they were almost at the bakery, when...

_*BRING BRING*_

"Oh, that's me." Luka said as he pulled up to the curb. They were near the park in front of Marinette's house.

He dismounted his bike and took out his phone.

"Juleka?" Luka asked as he looked at the caller ID.

He picked up the phone and said, "Hey, Jule. What's the problem? ... Huh? Get home straight away? ... Urgent, huh, so what's going on? ... You'll tell me when I get back? Okay, then."

He put the phone away and said, "Damn, Juleka's calling me back home. Says it's urgent."

"That's too bad," Marinette said, her head hanging down. "This was so much fun..."

"Yeah, I know. We should definitely do it again sometime." Luka agreed.

"Definitely," Marinette said as she lifted her head. "I'd love..."

Their lips brushed, and their eyes widened in response. Their faces turned red. The world fell away for a few seconds, their hearts stilling for what seemed to be forever, and it was like it was just the two of them alone.

After a honk in the distance, Marinette and Luka broke away, both red in the face.

"So, um... Think you can get home on your own from here?" Luka asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, my home is just a short walk from here," Marinette admitted, rubbing her arm. "I... We should do this again some time."

"Yeah, definitely," Luka said as he got back on the bike and put his helmet on. "It's a date."

"It's... A date." Marinette said.

Luka sped off on the bike, leaving Marinette there.

 _'It's a date...'_ Marinette's mind repeated, the words on a loop.

Once Luka and his bike were out of her sight, Marinette sighed in bliss.

She began rubbing her lips, which were still warm from the kiss, and she heavily sighed with a big smile on her face.

 _"I'm not drunk. No way am I dreaming,"_ Marinette began, singing. _"I oughta be squealing. He suddenly - everything today is thoroughly-"_

She stood up before singing, _"Just like that, without any warning. It's not even morning. He suddenly - everything today is thoroughly-"_

She smiled before thinking about her times with Luka, even singing, _"There've been signs, and yes, I have seen them! The random remark, occasional sigh, this day in the park, the gleam in his eyes!"_

Marinette shook her head while singing, _"Everything today is thoroughly... Everything today is thoroughly..."_

She sighed, her smitten smile growing on her face and pulled out the guitar pick he gave her. She gazed at it with same tender, affectionate expression she had earlier.

 _"Luka... Oh, Luka... You sweet boy,"_ Marinette sang. One could _swear_ violins were playing in the background. _"Wow... What a real swell guy... Luka, oh Luka... Oh, what joy..."_

Marinette giggled as she fingered the rose behind her ear and looked up to the sky.

 _"He makes my troubles fly."_ Marinette sang aloud as she looked at the stars.

She felt that two of those very stars were once in Luka's eyes for a while before going back up to the heavens, like fireworks during Bastille Day.

As her eyes kept looking at the starry sky, she sang, _"His glance had fireworks in it."_

She looked down and once again rubbed her lips.

 _"We kissed, my heart did a whiz-bang, flip-flop, heaven for a minute,"_ Marinette sang as she did a spin on her heel. _"Luka, oh Luka... Don't you know what I can't quite confess?"_

She started casually walking through the park, looking around at her surroundings and thinking about all the times she and Luka had been sharing.

 _"So coax me, implore me, I promise you won't bore me,"_ Marinette sang as she looked at the guitar pick again. _"Luka, I WILL say yes."_

She continued her song as she kept walking through the park, her mind stuck on Luka and how happy he made her.

 _"He makes my troubles fly. His glance had fireworks in it."_ Marinette sang.

Marinette remembered that whenever she was with Luka, her problems with Félix _and_ with life seemed to disappear, and the way he would look at her made her feel so happy, loved... and safe.

The feel of his lips on hers were fresh in her mind and she giggled as she remembered how both the kiss itself felt, and how _she_ felt as it happened.

 _"We kissed, my heart did a whiz-bang, flip-flop, heaven for a minute."_ Marinette sang as she stepped into a spotlight created by the moonlight. Sparkles were gently falling down on her.

She continued walking through the park to get back home for the night.

 _"Luka, oh Luka, don't you know what I can't quite confess?"_ Marinette sang as she kept her eyes forward.

Once she made it to the front door of the bakery, she looked back up to the sky, she sang, _"So coax me, implore me, I promise you won't bore me! Luka, I WILL say yes!"_

She giggled in delight before quickly running in the house and shutting the door, shouting, "I'm home!"

She didn't pay attention to whether or not her parents answered. Instead, she ran up the stairs in delight, her heart lighter than air and her mood happier than it'd been in a long time.

She got into her room, changed into her pajamas, and started squealing and rolling back and forth on her bed. She immediately took up her phone to call up Alya.

 _"Hey girl, perfect timing! The twins just went to bed."_ Alya told her.

"Oh, Alya, you'll never believe the day I've had!" Marinette began, delighted.

 _"Try me."_ Alya dared over the phone.

"Well..." Marinette began. "Luka and I spent most of the day together, since mom warned me about Mme. Graham de Vanily being around..."

 _"You and Luka, huh?"_ Alya asked, a knowing tone to her voice. _"Girl, deets, NOW!"_

Marinette started telling Alya the story, starting from their band practice, to his praise of her designs, the ferris wheel, the music shop, the jazz club. She was soon talking about the way their night wrapped up.

"And then, when I looked up, the next thing I knew, our lips brushed ever-so-slightly, and..." Marinette continued, all but swooning.

 _"HOLD UP, GIRL!"_ Alya said through the phone. _"Your lips BRUSHED? Girl, you mean to tell me that you and Luka KISSED?!"_

"Um, yes... Accidentally, but still..." Marinette admitted, blushing.

 _"GIRL, YOU HAD YOUR FIRST KISS WITH LUKA?!"_ Alya all but shouted.

 _"Quiet!"_ Marinette asked. "Yeah, we kissed, but barely, and... Well, I don't know what our relationship really is, yet. I mean, we only met a few days ago, and... Well, this is going a bit fast, isn't it?"

 _"Maybe so, but Marinette, listen carefully and answer me truthfully,"_ Alya began. _"You like Luka, right?"_

"Yes... I _really_ do." Marinette answered.

 _"You trust him?"_ Alya asked.

"Yes." Marinette answered again.

 _"He knows about the Félix situation and he's helped you out, correct?"_ Alya questioned.

"Right." Marinette confirmed.

 _"Does he make you happy?"_ Alya asked.

"Yes," Marinette confirmed, her tone lovesick and her heart beating. "When I'm with him, my problems with Félix just... Vanish."

 _"Good. Now, the most important question of all: does he make you feel safe?"_ Alya asked in finality.

Marinette didn't hesitate, and she said, "Yes. He does."

 _"Then what's the problem? You two clearly have it going on, and Juleka's been shipping you guys for ages!"_ Alya said.

"Wait, she has?" Marinette asked.

 _"Yep. Ever since you helped Juleka out with her school photo curse, she's wanted to set you up with Luka and see Lukanette sail. Rose, too."_ Alya told her.

"Wow... I mean, the fact that Luka and I are like this... In the back of my mind, I was always considering Girl Code. It's against the rules to date a friend's brother and all..." Marinette confessed.

 _"Girl,"_ Alya said with a firm tone. _"Normally, the rule is that you can't date your friend's brother without consent, but that goes out the window when A: the brother asks you first, B: you actually ask your friend for consent, or C: the friend ships you from the start. Circumstance C happened, so all's clear."_

Marinette smiled and said, "Yeah, you're right..."

Marinette loosed a yawn and said, "Wow... It's pretty late. See you tomorrow to talk more, Alya?"

 _"Definitely. More juicy details about it tomorrow. No getting out of this, okay?"_ Alya said.

"Okay." Marinette said as she hung up. She put her phone in its charger, turned the light out, and she snuggled into bed.

Dreams of her and Luka were dancing in her head. Nothing that she could wake up to the next morning would ruin her joy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHOO! LUKANETTE KISS! Well, more of a brush of lips, but close enough. A real kiss will happen in a future chapter.
> 
> Coming up, Marinette's thrown into the lion's den! Shit, this isn't good. Not only that, but Félix and Amélie are starting to get wise to Luka and Marinette's relationship. Not only that, we get a little insight into exactly what made Félix start harassing Marinette this way.
> 
> By the way, I do legitimately see a canon scenario where Félix tries to wreck things between Marinette and Luka, in a similar vein Lila trying to wreck things between Adrien and Kagami in "Oniichan." (Granted, I didn't watch the episode because I hate that lying bitch so much). Only thing is that if Marinette can see through Félix twice in one episode, she can most certainly do it again. And while I do see Luka getting akumatized over it, if "Silencer" is any indicator, I think he's more likely to get akumatized because Marinette was hurt, not so much jealousy.
> 
> If you want another example of what I mean, try reading and commenting my recent one-shot, "The Trouble with Doppelgängers," or "Dame et le Serpent," which is a Lukanette take on Beauty and the Beast.
> 
> I'm also going to give this story a rest for a bit after the next chapter because I'm blanking on the rest of the plot. I know Félix's behavior's only going to get worse, while Marinette and Luka keep getting closer. I just don't have any idea for a conclusion or the rest of the plot for right now. 
> 
> And in light of recent events... Rest in Power, Ruth Bader Ginsberg.


	4. Heated Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh, Marinette gets stuck helping her parents cater a film premier, and sure enough, Félix is there...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was expecting more of the comments to be praising Luka and Marinette's dynamic, especially after that kiss in the last chapter. Can I see more of that, please?

**Oh _NO!_ Marinette's stuck helping her parents cater a Graham de Vanily movie premier when their part-timer gets sick, and once again, she has to deal with Félix and his flirting. **

**And to make matters worse, Félix and Amélie are beginning to figure out _exactly_ what Luka and Marinette's relationship is. We also get some insight about what made Félix decide to pursue Marinette in the first place.**

* * *

The next morning, which was Saturday, Marinette had slept until 10AM.

After she woke up, she dressed herself and she was brushing her hair, humming "A Whole New World," much like Jasmine did in the movie after she and Aladdin went on Carpet.

Her phone was blowing up with romantic texts from Luka, who took to calling her "Angel Song" and the like. Marinette couldn't help but swoon the same way. She replied with cute names like Guitar Cutie and the like.

Marinette started singing and going down the stairs, giggling and spinning on her feet, smiling.

"Morning, _Maman_ , Papa..." Marinette said, swooning.

"Morning, honey..." Sabine greeted, her face a little uncomfortable. Tom was giving her a similar expression.

Marinette shook her head and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Um, we have a _bit_ of a situation..." Tom began, not sure how to continue.

"A situation?" Marinette asked, her mood changing. The room was charged with _awkward_.

"We have an event to cater next week, and we need your help." Sabine began.

"What's wrong with that?" Marinette asked. This wasn't anything new for her.

"...It's a Graham Films premier." Tom stated.

"What?! Then Félix is going to be there." Marinette said.

"Exactly," Tom began. "Normally, we would have our part-timer coming in to help with these events, but he called in sick."

"Hence why _I_ have to go..." Marinette moaned.

"Yes." Tom spoke.

"Not only that, but Amélie gave us this," Sabine said as she lifted up a VIP pass. "It's a VIP pass for the movie, and it's in a seat right next to Félix."

"Oh, _crap_..." Marinette groaned, face-palming.

"Don't worry. We'll be there to run interference and the immediate second there's a slow moment, you get out of there, okay?" Sabine instructed.

"Got it." Marinette agreed as she went back up to her bedroom to report the situation to Alya.

 _"Girl, you can't be serious!"_ Alya said over the phone.

"I am, Alya." Marinette confessed.

 _"Why are your parents making you do this?! You know how Félix is, and so do they!"_ Alya griped.

"They don't have any choice. The help they usually outsource is sick," Marinette explained. "And they promised to run interference for me and they're going to let me leave once there's an opening."

 _"Geez, what the hell..."_ Alya moaned.

"The _good_ news is that I won't be _completely_ alone," Marinette said as she looked over the guest list in her hand. "And I have my systems in place."

 _"That's good. You got my number on speed dial if you need me."_ Alya said.

"Thanks, Alya. Talk to you later." Marinette said as she hung up and looked at her closet.

She gave it an uncomfortable expression.

"Well, I guess if there's ever a time to use it, it's now..." Marinette said, swallowing a lump in her throat.

Later that week at the movie premier...

Marinette was standing in the lobby of the theater, carrying a plate of desserts, and wearing a little french maid uniform that she made, which had a black dress, a white scalloped apron, and a hat on top of her head, which had her hair in a bun on top of it, and she was wearing shoes that were both comfortable and fashionable (and wouldn't trip her up so easily). Her parents were at one of the walls, where there was a huge table of desserts.

The movie premier had several notable guests mingling with each other, photographers for the news broadcasts and social posts, the staff and producers for the movie, the actors, the director, etc.

The guests were picking up treats every now and again from Marinette's platter. But the poor girl was feeling _very_ tense about the situation because normally she wouldn't _be_ at a Graham Films premier event, or _any_ event where the Graham de Vanily family would likely be.

"Hey there, girl!" A British-accented voice said.

Marinette shouted in surprise and she threw the desserts up in the air on instinct. On reflex, Marinette started scrambling to catch them all, and not a single pastry was missed.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The same voice said.

Marinette turned around to see a man with purple-tipped hair, green eyes, a goatie and was wearing primarily black and gold.

"Oh, Jagged. I didn't see you there." Marinette said, breathing a _heavy_ sigh of relief, her anxiety melting away.

"I came over to talk to you. How have you been, girl?" Jagged asked.

"Trust me, things used to be _pretty_ bad, but now they're looking up." Marinette said, her face just _screaming_ smitten as she thought about Luka.

"Well, that's great," Jagged said. "Anyway, I gotta keep making my rounds. I'll be sure to make time to talk to you later about some new things I want to commission you for!"

"I'd love that, Jagged!" Marinette said as Jagged walked away.

 _'Wow, a familiar face that I am SO happy to see.'_ Marinette said, feeling relieved.

"And now, here is Amélie Graham de Vanily and her son, Félix!" The emcee announced, and a round of applause came up.

Marinette stiffed up and turned around to see Félix in one of his nicer suits, standing next to his mother. He was wearing his professional smile, his hands behind his back, and he was scanning the crowd.

Marinette immediately ducked behind one of the other guests to hide before making some distance by hiding behind a nearby pillar/wall.

She peeked out from behind her hiding spot, and Félix was distracted, talking to one of the other guests.

 _'Okay, he's distracted. Better get back out there.'_ Marinette thought, taking deep breaths and stepping out from hiding.

She tried her best to focus on serving the guests and not worrying about Félix.

Unfortunately, said blonde caught sight of her presenting desserts to the guests and he said, "Mom, look!"

Amélie followed Félix's line of sight and she smiled, saying, "Oh, what a cute little maid! Is that her? The girl you like?"

"Yep." Félix said.

"Well, what are we standing here for? Let's go say hi!" Amélie said as she brought Félix over to talk to Marinette.

"Thank you." A woman said as she took one of the desserts off the plate and walked away.

"Enjoy." Marinette told her.

"Hey there, Marinette. I was hoping to see you today." Félix said as he put a hand on her shoulder.

Marinette tried to keep her body language professional as she brushed Félix's hand away, turned around and greeted, "Félix."

"You must be Marinette. Félix talks about you all the time." Amélie greeted joyfully.

"Oh?" Marinette asked, trying not to sound uncomfortable.

"Why yes, he does!" Amélie confirmed. "I've been wanting to meet you for ages!"

"Y... You have?" Marinette asked, subtly taking a step back.

"Definitely," Amélie began. "You're the first person outside me and his father he's ever cared for."

"I... I _am?_ " Marinette asked, still wondering how to react.

"Absolutely," Amélie confirmed with a nod. "Félix has never had a girl he's had a crush on before, but then you come along and he's smitten!"

 _'Yeah, "smitten" is NOT the word I would use...'_ Marinette thought, but failed to say so. Instead, she said, "Is... Is that so?"

"It sure is!" Amélie giggled. "He's been telling me about your fashion design ambitions and how much you like to play hard-to-get and lead him on a chase."

Marinette's look turned annoyed with a twitching brow and she thought, _'Playing hard to get?! Leading him on a chase?! Um, YUCK! As if!'_

"Anyway, I need to go make my rounds! Why don't you two future lovebirds talk for a little while?" Amélie said before leaving.

Marinette was looking at her back in shock, her jaw dropped.

"Future lovebirds?! Us?!" Marinette squeaked, gagging.

"You heard mom," Félix said as he took Marinette's free hand and kissed it. Marinette felt her stomach churn. "Let's talk."

"Um, I'd _love_ to, but I have to get back to passing out these desserts. In fact, the plate's running low - gotta go fill it up!" Marinette said as she tried to escape.

"Oh no," Félix said, grabbing her wrist again. "I'm not letting you get away this time."

Tom and Sabine were watching, and Tom said, " _Cher dieu..._ Hope we can find a way to get her out of here fast."

"Something wrong?" Jagged asked as he picked up an éclair from the table.

"Oh, hello," Tom greeted. "Um, yes... Marinette's been having a rough go of it lately because of Félix."

"Amélie's son?" Jagged asked. "Has he been bullying her?"

"No," Sabine elaborated. "Look."

Jagged looked over to see Marinette trying to get Félix to leave her alone, meanwhile he was still getting in her space, touching her against her wishes, and giving her a naughty, cruel smirk with narrowed eyes. Marinette wasn't looking too comfortable.

"Hold my éclair," Jagged said as he handed his plate back to Sabine. "No one harasses Marinette and gets away with it!"

Félix was still giving Marinette predatory eyes as he made to begin kissing up her arm, but she yanked her arm away.

"Félix, stop it! I'm working." Marinette requested.

"Maybe so, but I've been dying to get some time with you," Félix chuckled. His eyes started scanning Marinette as if he were eying a piece of meat. "You look absolutely adorable in that maid uniform. Make it yourself?"

"Um, yes, I did..." Marinette began.

"So, maybe when you come to my mansion for dinner one night, you would wear something that leaves... less to the imagination." Félix purred.

Marinette got chills as she backed away, only for him to step closer.

"Ugh, so disgusting..." "What is he doing? Can't he see she's uncomfortable?" "Poor girl." "Someone has to do something."

"Marinette!" Jagged said as he came forward and hugged Marinette by the shoulder. She sighed in relief.

"Hi, Jagged." Marinette said.

"I've got some down time, so why don't you and I go talk about future projects?" Jagged said, thumb-jerking behind him.

"Great idea." Marinette said.

"Hey, we were in the middle of talking!" Félix said, cutting in.

Ignoring Félix, Jagged pulled Marinette aside and away from the blonde.

"Your parents are telling me they can handle things from here," Jagged whispered into Marinette's ear. "Find cover and call for a ride."

"Thanks, Jagged." Marinette said as she ducked into the ladies' room.

Marinette ran into a bathroom stall, locked the door, and took her phone out.

She immediately found Luka's contact and pressed the call button...

* * *

Back at the Liberty, Luka was playing his guitar as always, feeling serene. The sensation of Marinette's lips on his own was fresh, even after several days, and his eyes were lidded with desire. He was playing music that he felt matched Marinette the best.

Juleka was sitting on her chair while looking at her brother, a smile on her lips and a giggle in her chest. Juleka actually faked the urgency of the situation to get Luka to come home sooner so she could grill him for details about his time with Marinette, akin to what Alya would do with Marinette from time to time. Luka took it in stride, but he asked Juleka not to do that again unless it really _was_ urgent.

"I take it you and Marinette had fun? You've been like this for nearly a week." Juleka asked with a giggle.

"We sure did. I wasn't expecting to kiss her so soon, though, accident or not." Luka confessed.

"So, you gonna take her out on another date?" Juleka asked.

"Definitely." Luka said.

His phone started ringing.

"Oh, speaking of whom, she's calling me right now," Luka said as he picked up his phone. "Hey, Angel Song, what's up?"

 _"Luka? Hi, I hate to bother you like this, but... Well, I'm at the movie theater right now for the premier, helping my parents cater it, and... I need you to get me out of here."_ Marinette explained.

"Wait, that movie's a Graham Films production... Don't tell me..." Luka said.

 _"Yep. The graham crackers here are terrible."_ Marinette said.

"Say no more. I'm coming." Luka said as he hung up the phone.

He got off his bed and said, "Sorry, Jule, I'll talk to you later."

Juleka gave a nod as she watched her brother run out of the room to go get Marinette.

Marinette was hiding in the bathroom for several minutes, and she soon heard the alert tone on her phone.

She picked it up and she saw that it was Luka telling her that his ETA was about three minutes.

Marinette nodded and ran out of the bathroom. She went to her parents and told them, "I called Luka, he should be here in a few minutes."

"Go, honey. We'll see you at home." Sabine said.

"Thanks, mom." Marinette said before turning on her heel and making a run for the door.

"Marinette! There you are!" Félix said, popping up next to her and blocking her way. "Mom wants to talk to you and see about you coming over for dinner one night."

"Um, I'm _very_ sorry Félix, but," Marinette began, her eyes flitting around to find an excuse. "I... Um...?"

Her eyes landed on Jagged and she said, "Jagged wants me to make some mockups for some album covers! And he wants then ASAP, so I gotta get going, like _yesterday!_ "

"Really? Well, why don't I escort you home?" Félix offered, taking her hand.

"No thanks, I have a ride!" Marinette said before dashing out the door.

"Hey, wait!" Félix shouted to her, getting everyone else's attention.

"Félix, what's the matter?" Amélie asked as she came over to her son. She noticed Marinette was leaving. "Well, what are you doing _here?_ Go after her and don't let your Cinderella get away!"

Félix ran out after Marinette, who'd turned and ran down the block a little bit before stopping.

"Luka should be here soon..." Marinette said, fretting over the timing.

"Marinette, stop right there!" Félix demanded as he caught up to her.

 _'Hurry it up!'_ Marinette mentally panicked.

"Why do you keep running from me?!" Félix demanded. "Stop gaming around!"

"I am _not_ gaming around!" Marinette spoke.

With impeccable timing, Luka pulled up.

"Oh, _dieu merci!_ " Marinette breathed, delighted.

Luka took off his helmet and he said, "Hey, Angel Song. Ready to go?"

"Sure am, Luka! Jagged wants me to get to work!" Marinette said as she took her usual helmet, put it on, and mounted the bike behind him.

"You _again?!_ " Félix barked, getting Luka's attention. "Okay, enough's enough! This time, you're going to answer me: _who are you?!_ "

Instead of answering Félix, Luka put his helmet back on, put his hands on the handles, and asked Marinette, "Shall I carry you away from this ogre on this sleek steed of mine?"

 _"Ogre?! Me?!"_ Félix asked, red in the face in rage.

"I'd be honored, my prince." Marinette joked back.

Like before, Luka revved his engine and expelled the exhaust out of its pipe, once again blasting Félix in the face. He was coughing, and Luka took the chance to drive away.

He looked on and growled as Luka and Marinette rode away.

In a few minutes, Félix came back into the event, faking a sad, heartbroken expression.

"Félix!" Amélie said as she ran over to him. "What happened? Where'd she go?"

"She... She left and I couldn't stop her..." Félix said, faking a sob and starting crying into her chest.

Most of the guests weren't that sympathetic towards Félix, since they all saw how uncomfortable Marinette was with his presence.

"Thanks for the help back there, Mr. Stone." Sabine thanked to Jagged.

"Please, call me Jagged," Jagged said to Sabine and Tom. "And it was the least I could do for my favorite designer slash honorary niece. Félix doesn't know to properly treat a girl in a rock-n-roll fashion."

* * *

Instead of bringing Marinette home or to the Liberty, Luka brought Marinette out to Île aux Cygnes to get away. It was close enough to the bakery so that way he could get Marinette back home in record time. He dismounted and put the kickstand up.

"Thanks for getting me out of there, Luka," Marinette said as she got off the bike and took the helmet off her head. She handed it to him. "You really saved my skin."

"No problem, Angel Song," Luka said, still sticking to his new nickname for her. Marinette blushed. "That guy _really_ can't take a hint, can he?"

"No," Marinette sighed as the two of them started walking along together. "...Sometimes I wish my kindness didn't invite this kind of trouble."

Luka looked at her in curiosity, and he asked, "Judging by that statement, it sounds like you were just trying to be nice to him and then he started chasing you this way."

"Basically." Marinette admitted with a shrug.

"If you don't mind me asking, exactly _how_ did this whole thing start?" Luka asked as he put the kickstand up on his bike and dismounted.

"Well..." Marinette began. "It started about six months ago..."

_~Flashback - Narrated by Marinette~_

_The scene was the hallways in school and the girls, sans Marinette, were all talking to each other about different things, like the latest movies and pop culture, new places to eat and hang out, etc._

"Félix had just transferred in from London about a month prior." Marinette narrated.

_"Hey girls," Marinette said as she ran out to her friends. "What's going on?"_

_"Nothing much," Alya said. "You?"_

_"Nothing, really, but... Did you guys get this in your locker?" Marinette asked as she held something up._

_It was a small flyer that had a magic hat and a rabbit on it, a wand, a few sparkles, and it was in black and white. It read out in big letters, "Magic Night, Starring Félix Graham de Vanily!"_

_"Yeah, I did," Alya said, her mouth in a scowl. "I tore it up and threw it in recycling."_

_"Me too." "Same here." "Ditto." "So did I."_

_"Really?" Marinette asked as she looked over the flyer._

_"Yeah, girl," Alya spoke with a roll of her eyes. "Félix is nothing but trouble."_

_"UGH! Really?!" A shrill voice shouted from nearby._

_The entire group turned around to see Chloé holding the flyer. She shred it up and threw it into recycling._

_"Félix, putting on a magic show?! Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" Chloé spat as she flipped her ponytail and started to saunter away. "I'll bet this is just another one of his pranks that he's pulling. He advertises this show, then when people show up, he does something to make everyone angry!"_

_"See? Even Chloé isn't taking it seriously." Alix commented with a thumb-jerk._

_"It's probably just another super-mean stunt that he's pulling. He's been doing those since his first day." Rose said, her face falling sadly._

_Marinette sadly looked at the flyer again and she thought aloud, "Maybe..."_

_"Girl, you're not thinking of going, are you?" Alya asked._

_"Are you insane?" Myléne asked._

_"Well, what if this is his way of trying to make friends?" Marinette suggested. "Maybe he acts the way he does because he doesn't know better?"_

_"No justification for all the shit he's done up to now." Alix commented._

_Juleka gave a nod in agreement._

_Marinette frowned before looking up and saying, "Listen, girls, I understand, but we should at least try to keep an open mind."_

_"Hard to do that when experience conditions you to think the worst of someone." Alya spoke._

_"Yeah, I guess..." Marinette began. "But... I'm going to at least try."_

_"You can't be serious!" Myléne said._

_"I am... If he tries anything mean, I'm not going to stick around." Marinette began._

_She looked at the flyer again._

"At the time, I wasn't aware what was going to happen..." She narrated again.

_The day of, Marinette went to the designated spot for the show - the Auditorium du Louvre. The place was deserted, save for herself. She looked around before lifting her face and hands._

_"Hello? Anyone here?" She shouted._

_Footsteps. Up on the stage, Félix, his usual grumpy self, had walked out at the shout, and was looking around to see who called. He laid eyes on Marinette and he gave his usual scowl while crossing his arms._

_"You? What are YOU doing here?" He asked._

_Ignoring his barb, Marinette lifted the flyer and said, "I'm here for your show."_

_His eyes widened a bit when he saw the flyer in her hand._

_He scoffed and said, "...So you actually showed up?"_

_"Well..." Marinette began._

_A_ very _rare smile came upon his face. A smile that he only reserved for his mother, and he let his arms fall._

_"I thought putting on this show was going to be a waste of time. I wasn't expecting anyone to come." Félix admitted._

_"Really?" Marinette asked, a little surprised at how low Félix's expectations were._

_"Yeah," He said. "I'm satisfied_ one _person decided to give me the time of day."_

_Marinette's face fell a bit._

_He gestured to a seat in the front row, and said, "Have a seat. Private magic show for one, then?"_

_Marinette gave a shrug before taking a seat directly in front of Félix, her hands in her lap._

_"Okay..." Félix began, before clearing his throat. "Young Lady, welcome to the Félix Graham de Vanily Magic Show!"_

_He jumped down from the stage with a deck of cards in hand. He fanned it out and showed it face-down to Marinette. He said, "Pick a card, any card."_

_Marinette took a card from the center right, and she pulled it up to look at it, making sure to face it away from Félix._

_"Be sure to memorize the card." He instructed._

_Marinette stared at it for a few seconds as Félix put the cards back in deck form, cut the cards a few times, and split the deck in half. He had Marinette put her card on the top of the bottom half of the deck in one of his hands._

_He fanned the cards out with the backs facing Marinette, he scanned the cards, and he swiftly took one out._

_"Is THIS your card?" He asked._

_Marinette's eyes widened._

_The Queen of Hearts._

_"Y-Yes! Yes, it is!" Marinette said as she started clapping her hands. "That's impressive."_

_Félix smile turned into more of a smirk, and he said, "Well, hold onto your pigtails, 'cause there's more where that came from!"_

_Félix jumped back on the stage and rolled out a table with porcelain teacups and plastic rubber balls on it. Marinette recognized this trick as the famed Penn and Teller cups and balls. He took the ball off the cup on the right, vanished it in his hand, and he lifted the cup up to reveal another ball. He put the ball on top of the cup, did the same thing with the center cup. The cup on the left, he lifted the ball up, vanished it in his hand, chose to show Marinette underneath the cup, but once he put it down and lifted it up again, the next ball was there. He took the ball on the center cup, put it underneath, and took the other two balls and vanished it, but then he lifted the center cup to reveal three balls were in there. He took them up, did some misdirection before continuing on. He lifted the center cup up again to reveal a larger marble, placed it on top of the cup, lifted the two side cups up to reveal larger balls underneath, and for the finale, he took up the center cup and revealed that there was a large ball of yarn under it._

_Marinette "oohed" and she started clapping her hands again in amazement, saying, "Wow! That's normally a two-person trick! How'd you...?"_

_Félix didn't answer, still smirking. He kept going with more tricks, including more advanced card tricks._

_One of his feats included a hat trick where he waved a wand, rolled up his sleeve, and he reached in. He pulled out a stuffed rabbit that looked very realistic, and he tossed it over to Marinette, who caught in her hands._

_She stood from her seat, put the rabbit toy in it, and kept clapping faster and faster, her smile growing._

"I admit it, I enjoyed it in the beginning. He's good at his magic tricks, I'll give him that!" Marinette confessed.

"So what changed?" Luka questioned.

"His last trick. _That's_ when things got creepy..." Marinette continued.

_Félix jumped down from the stage and approached Marinette._

_"Hey... There's something in your ear..." He began, squinting._

_Marinette tilted her head._

_He reached his hand behind Marinette's ear, pretended to grab something, and he pulled his hand back. With a flick of his wrist..._

_Marinette's eyes widened when she saw a burgundy rose. But when she looked at Félix, her stomach churned._

_He was giving her a predatory look, including a smirk and narrowed eyes._

_"Félix?" Marinette asked, leaning back a bit._

_"Enjoy the show?" He asked._

_"Um, yes..." Marinette began, her eyes rapidly looking around for an exit._

_"Then maybe now that it's over, we could try... Getting to know each other more." He suggested as he started leaning in closer, putting his hand on her shoulder._

_Marinette gulped._

_"Listen, Félix, I enjoyed your show, I really did, but..." Marinette began, standing up and trying to find a way out. "I gotta get back home to the bakery. My parents need-"_

_"Come on. Let me treat you..." Félix began._

_"Félix, I need to go!" Marinette shouted before pushing him away onto his rear end, grabbing her purse and the toy rabbit before dashing out of the auditorium._

"I panicked and ran out of there like a bat out of hell. I was feeling sick to my stomach." Marinette narrated.

_~End of Flashback~_

"And he hasn't left you alone since?" Luka summarized.

"Yep." Marinette confirmed.

Luka didn't say anything. Instead, he hovered his hand over her shoulder. Marinette leaned her head against his shoulder. He smiled and put his other hand around hers. The two of them kept walking, enjoying each other's company.

"Don't worry. I'm here or you," Luka cooed to her. "I'll be here for you no matter what. You can trust me."

"I know I can, Luka..." Marinette said as she stood on her tiptoes and gave her beau a kiss on his cheek. Luka didn't protest.

* * *

A few days later...

"Mom, dad, I'm going out! Luka's coming to pick me up for a date at the boat!" Marinette said as she ran down the stairs with her purse.

"Have fun, dear! We'll be lookouts as usual." Sabine said as Marinette left out the door to the bakery.

"Thanks, mom!" Marinette said as she saw Luka pull up and wave to her.

Marinette ran towards him and got on the bike. He took off.

About ten minutes later, though...

_*DING-A-LING!*_

"Hello, and welcome!" Sabine said as she turned to face the door, but Amélie was looking at her with a somewhat upset expression. "Oh, Mme. Graham de Vanily. How can I help you today?"

"Sabine, is Marinette here? I think she owes Félix a lunch date after running out on him at the premier." Amélie asked, hands on her hips and looking at Sabine with a minor glare.

Sabine kept a patient smile at Amélie.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mme. Graham de Vanily, but Marinette just left with her boyfriend." Sabine said as she arranged some of the cupcakes in the case, excited that she finally had a legitimate excuse.

Amélie's eyes opened a bit and she asked, " _Je vous demande pardon?_ Did you say that Marinette left with her _boyfriend?_ "

"Why yes!" Sabine giggled. "They only just started, but they're so adorable together! He's such a gentleman, and so handsome too, with his blue hair and blue eyes."

"Wait, blue _hair?!_ " Amélie asked, waving her hands.

"But he makes it look _very_ attractive." Sabine laughed.

Amélie just looked at Sabine as if she'd grown two heads.

"And he definitely looks sharp on a bike," Sabine confessed as she started wiping down the counter. "Stereotypically, one would think that parents wouldn't be too happy to see their daughter riding on a motorcycle. But my mother-in-law is a biker, so for us, it's no problem."

" _Motorcycle?!_ " Amélie balked, surprised.

Sabine giggled as she continued to mind the counter.

"I've heard him play his guitar, he's got _talent!_ I'm sure Jagged Stone would love to hear his music someday." Sabine continued.

"Guitar? Not piano or violin?" Amélie asked.

"I don't think I've never seen Marinette so happy before," Sabine said, ignoring Amélie's question. She looked up at her with a smile. "So, is there anything you'd like to buy?"

"Um... I just remembered that I need to be home for work." Amélie said before walking out of the bakery.

Sabine smiled at the sight of Amélie leaving, and Tom came out.

"Um, Sabine, are you sure using the word "boyfriend" was a smart idea? What if she tells Félix?" Tom questioned.

"Even if she does, knowing Marinette, she'll be able to cope. And we'll be here to help her." Sabine said, though she _did_ look a bit worried.

Back at the Graham de Vanily estate, Félix was eating lunch while waiting for his mother, and he was hoping that she'd brought Marinette.

He heard footsteps, and he stood up when he saw his mother come in.

"Oh, mom," He said to her. "Is Marinette here?"

"No, unfortunately. She's out again," Amélie reported, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. "With her _boyfriend!_ "

Félix dropped the fork he was holding onto his plate, and asked, "Could you repeat that? She has a boyfriend?"

"Yes! And apparently he's some blue-haired, guitar-playing motorcyclist!" Amélie said, indignant. "Can you believe it?!"

"No, I can't! I've been trying to ask her out for so long, and..." Félix began, trying to play the part of a heartbroken youth, but he paused in his speech. "Wait a second..."

"What is it, Félix?" Amélie asked.

"Blue hair... Guitar... A motorcycle..." Félix muttered. "Why does that sound familiar...?"

_Luka, wearing leather biker gear and a teal blue helmet on his head, pulled up on his motorcycle. From a high-angle shot (like on top of Marinette's balcony), one couldn't really see the design. But now Marinette could see the design of the bike more clearly. The exterior body was black with a Caribbean blue snake._

_Luka took his helmet off and looked at Marinette in greeting._

_"Hey, Marinette," He said. "Sorry I kept you waiting."_

_"Not at all." Marinette said with a smile._

_Luka handed Marinette a helmet, and he said, "Here, I got a spare helmet for you."_

_"Aw, thank you!" Marinette said as she took the helmet and put it on, climbed on the back of the bike, and hugged Luka from behind._

_"We'd better get going, the rest of the band is going to be waiting for us." Luka said, with Marinette nodding in agreement._

His eyes snapped open as he realized it.

"Oh, _hell no!_ " Félix snapped as he slammed his hands on the table.

"You know something?" Amélie asked.

"Yeah, I do! I've run into that guy a few times. Hell, he even came and picked Marinette up when she left the premier! Apparently he's named Luka or something like that." Félix said, once again faking tears.

"Oh, honey..." Amélie said, pityingly.

But he gave his mother a clever smile and said, "Don't worry, mom. I'll win her over from him!"

Félix turned his head away from his mom, and his face became a cruel smirk with narrowed eyes again.

* * *

**Okay, that's a wrap for this chapter!**

**Like I said, I'm going to need a little time away from this story so I can figure out what happens next (aside from a few things, including but not limited to traps and more songs), but if you guys wanna pitch ideas, I'd love that, too.**

**Also, I _do_ legitimately see a scenario happening in canon where Marinette tries being nice to Félix and he becomes obsessed with her.**

**If you guys want me to do a Lukanette Phantom of the Opera with Félix in the role of the Phantom, just say the word.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations for the French used here. 
> 
> Cher dieu - Dear God!  
> Dieu merci - Thank God!  
> Je vous demande pardon? - I beg your pardon?
> 
> NO SPOILERS FOR MIRACULOUS NEW YORK, PLEASE! I haven't seen it yet!


	5. Crumbling Grahams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Luka are sweet together as always, but Félix is scheming. And his latest attempt is the last straw for Marinette!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song(s) Included, with/without modifications:
> 
> He Could Be The One - Hannah Montana  
> Tears to Shed - Corpse Bride  
> Don't Make Me Laugh - The Pebble and the Penguin

Weeks passed since the premier, and Marinette and Luka were still together. They seldom left the other's side whenever they weren't in school. Marinette would hang out at the Liberty whenever she had free time, and the "graham cracker" system was still in place.

The dates they went on included going to André's for ice cream, hanging out with Jagged Stone (Marinette made the introductions), dinner dates at the Dupain-Cheng house, etc. There weren't any pressing concerns about Félix, etc. It was bliss.

Marinette and Luka were on the latter's motorcycle again, driving around town on another date. Marinette was looking at his back, smiling at him and blushing in bliss.

 _'Smooth talkin', so rockin'! He's got everything that this girl's wantin'!'_ Marinette was thinking in song.

They were sitting at the Seine together, and Luka brought his guitar to play for her as usual.

 _'Guitar cutie, he plays it groovy!'_ Marinette thought, her heart singing along to Luka's music.

As the two of them started walking the streets to go to the mall to have some fun, but the automatic doors weren't cooperating with Marinette, so she kept running into the doors, no matter how much she tried to time it.

_'And I can't keep myself from doing somethin' stupid!'_

Luka couldn't help but laugh, saying, "You're so adorable, Marinette."

Luka gave her his signature smile. Marinette felt her face go redder than a ladybug's wings, and butterflies were flying around her stomach like a swarm.

 _'Think I'm really falling for his smile! Get butterflies when he says my name!'_ Marinette thought in song.

One of their other dates included a Kitty Section rehearsal at the Liberty, and Marinette was sitting in the audience with a smile. Luka was smiling back at her, giving her the same calm, soothing, suave smolder he would usually give her. Marinette felt so happy at the sight.

 _'He's got something special! He's got something special! And when he's looking at me, I wanna get all sentimental!'_ Marinette thought. _'He's got something special! He's got something special!'_

Luka winked at her, and Marinette felt all the air leave her lungs.

 _'I can hardly breathe, something's telling me, telling me maybe he could be the one!'_ Marinette mentally crooned.

Luka put some music on on his phone and the two of them started dancing.

 _'He could be the one! (X5)'_ Marinette thought as Marinette and Luka did an underarm turn with each other and they were laughing.

Everyone in the room was looking on in joy, they were so happy for Marinette.

Once Marinette was brought home, she went up to her room. She put another picture of him on her cork board, and she gave it a kiss.

 _'He's lightning! Sparks are flying!'_ She thought.

Everywhere she went, whether it was making deliveries for her parents, ducking Félix (which often became a case of doing the former to accomplish the latter), or even at school, Luka was on her brain.

 _'Everywhere I go, he's always on my mind and...'_ Marinette thought with a song in her brain. Her thoughts immediately turned to blue hair and eyes, and she stifled a giggle. _'I'm going crazy 'bout him lately!'_

When Luka came over for dinner one night at her place, he ate his food with such sensuality that Marinette's heart started accelerating faster than if she'd just exercised.

 _'And I can't help myself from how my heart is racing!'_ Marinette thought as hearts fluttered around her head as she and Luka ate their food.

The two of them were once again playing video games at her place, and Marinette was _still_ kicking his ass at it.

_"WINNER WINNER WINNER!"_

The game was roaring out with congrats to Marinette.

Luka laughed as he sat on the couch, and said, "Wiped the floor with me _again_ , Marinette. Great game."

"Thanks, Luka," Marinette said as she sat next to him on the sofa. "Hey, wanna watch a Hallmark movie?"

"Sounds like a great idea." He chuckled.

Marinette turned the TV on and they were soon watched the French-dubbed "In the Key of Love." It was about a singer who decided to leave her promising career to run her grandmother's wedding photography business, and a coming bride turned out to be the sister of her ex-boyfriend.

Luka put an arm on Marinette's shoulder as he gently pulled her closer to him.

 _'Think I'm really digging on his vibe! He really blows me away!'_ Marinette thought as she leaned her head against his shoulder. He chuckled in amusement.

As the two them continued to hang out, have fun, and enjoy each other's company, the two of them couldn't get the other off their minds.

_"He's got something special! He's got something special! And when he's looking at me, I wanna get all sentimental!"_

Marinette looked up at Luka, and he stopped watching the movie before looking at her. He gently placed a kiss on her cheek. Marinette blushed and giggled.

_"He's got something special! He's got something special! I can hardly breathe, something's telling me, telling me maybe he could be the one!"_

Marinette and Luka continued watching their movies, happy and content to be in each other's company.

_"He could be the one! (X5)"_

A few days later, Marinette and Luka were out on a date at night, and they were walking through the city, holding hands, talking, and having the time of their lives.

"The evening sky is beautiful tonight, isn't it, Marinette?" Luka asked.

"It is." Marinette agreed.

They were on the bridge of Canal Saint-Martin, stargazing. Marinette was looking at the sky, feeling perfectly content, like nothing was wrong. No Félix, no homework, no nothing.

_"And he's got a way of making me feel like everything is perfectly fine. The stars are aligned when I'm with him! And I'm so into him!"_

"Hey, we've been out for several hours," Luka said. "Maybe we should get you home?"

"Great idea. It's a school night, anyway." Marinette agreed as she followed Luka back to his motorcycle. They got on and Luka once again started driving.

_"He's got something special! He's got something special! And when he's looking at me, I wanna get all sentimental! He's got something special! He's got something special!"_

_"I can hardly breathe, something's telling me, telling me maybe he could be the one! He could be the one! (X5)"_

As Luka dropped Marinette off back at the bakery, he once again kissed her cheek, and said, _"Bonne nuit!"_

 _"Bonne nuit_ , Luka." Marinette said back as Luka put his helmet back on and drove away.

Marinette went back inside and she said to her parents, "Mom, dad, I'm back!"

"Welcome home, honey," Sabine said. "Did you and Luka have a fun time?"

"We did, mom..." Marinette swooned as she started going up to her room. She was about to swoon.

"She's got it bad for that young man," Tom laughed. "She hasn't complained about Félix for a while. It's like he's... Stopped."

"Let's hope he has." Sabine said in concern...

* * *

...Which turned out to be completely justified.

Félix was in his room, pussyfooting, acting like he was truly devastated at his lack of progress with Marinette. He had his phone out and was glaring daggers at every picture of Marinette and Luka together on her social media page.

"Honey, are you okay?" Amélie questioned.

"Not really," Félix lied as he feigned depression. "Marinette won't give me the time of day... No thanks to that prick of a boyfriend she has!"

"Sabine went on and on about him," Amélie began, shaking her head. "I just wish Marinette would wake up and realize what she's missing in you."

Félix sighed as he put his phone away.

"Yeah, I don't get what she sees in him, either." Félix said, feigning heartbreak as opposed to rage.

He stood up and started walking around his room.

 _"What does that stupid little crap have that I don't have double?"_ He sang aloud. He ran his hand through his hair and smirked. _"He can't hold a candle to the power of my smile."_

 _"How about a bike?"_ Amélie musically sang, sarcastic.

 _"Overrated by a mile. Overvalued. Overblown."_ Félix sang.

 _"If she only knew the you that I know!"_ Amélie sang as she tried to hug her son. Félix smiled, letting his mother show him affection.

 _"And that guy can't give her a precious heirloom ring."_ Félix praised as he fiddled his cuff links on his sleeves while smirking.

 _"And he doesn't play piano or dance or sing."_ Amélie sang in agreement.

 _"Hah, he doesn't compare,"_ Félix sang with a scoff. _"And screw his blue hair."_

 _"Who cares? Unimportant, overrated, overblown,"_ Amélie sang. _"If only she could see how special you can be. If she only knew the you that I know."_

Félix started acting sad and heartbroken, before singing, _"If I try to do a card trick, she just runs away. No matter what I do, or what I say."_

He turned to Amélie and gave her a heartbroken expression, singing, _"And I know her heart is beating. "I have a boyfriend," so she's said. Yet the rage here that I feel, try and tell me it's not real. And it seems that I have some tears to shed."_

He sighed and sat on the bed, feeling horrible (or at least _acting_ the part).

 _"The sole redeeming feature from that stupid creature... Hell, I don't know WHY! Overrated, overblown!"_ Félix ranted.

 _"A guitarist isn't a career move that I would make,"_ Amélie agreed. _"She doesn't have to stay with him. A hike, I'd take!"_

 _"Who cares?"_ They both sang.

 _"Unimportant. Overrated. Overblown."_ Félix sang.

 _"If only she could see how special you can be. If she only knew the you that I know!"_ Amélie sang.

Félix stood up and he went into his mother's arms.

 _"If I try to do a card trick, she just runs away. At school or when she's home, it's all the same."_ Félix sang, once again trying not to cry (again, faking his depression).

He pulled away from his mother before walking around the room.

 _"And I feel my heart is aching. While I know it beats, it's breaking. And the rage here that I feel, try to tell me it's not real..."_ Félix crooned quietly.

Amélie looked at her son sadly.

 _"Inside, I wish him dead..."_ Félix said as his face became evil with a smirk, not facing his mother. _"And it seems that I have croc tears to shed."_

"Honestly, if there was only a way to get Marinette alone with you without her boyfriend..." Amélie said.

Félix looked up, and he said, "Mom, I think you've just given me an idea..."

* * *

Monday at school, and Luka was minding his own business. He was at his locker, getting his books.

"Um, excuse me?" Félix asked.

Luka whirled around and once he saw Félix, he got on his guard. Félix's body language was guilty and his eyes were lowered.

"Can I help you?" Luka asked cautiously.

"Listen, I..." Félix began. "I... Wanted to apologize."

Luka's eyes popped open, surprised. He asked, "Apologize?"

"Yeah, for bothering you... And for scaring Marinette." Félix stated.

Luka looked at him in suspicion, and he says, "Why are you apologizing to _me?_ If anyone needs to hear this, it's Marinette."

"She won't give me the time of day," Félix said. "I want you to tell her that I'm sorry and that I won't bother her anymore?"

"...Is that a promise?" Luka questioned.

"Yes, so..." Félix said, holding out his hand in what _seemed_ like an honest attempt to make amends.

Luka was suspicious, but he reached for Félix... Only for the blonde to hug him.

"I'm so sorry..." Félix said. "I hope I can make it up to you and Marinette."

"Alright, fine..." Luka said, a little grossed out at the idea of Marinette's harasser hugging him. He pulled away. "I gotta go."

Luka walked away, leaving Félix in the locker room... But Félix smirked once the guitarist was out of sight.

As Luka got away, he breathed a sigh of relief, happy he was gone without a scratch. He got to his classroom and he sat down in his seat.

As the teacher came in, Luka went to silence his phone... Only to realize that it wasn't in his pocket.

"Huh? Where'd my phone go?" Luka asked to himself as he started patting himself down to find said device and he rummaged through his bag to find it.

Nothing. Luka, being the easygoing bloke he was, shrugged it off, thinking, _'At least I won't get distracted in class...'_

As classes went on for the day, nothing unusual occurred. Marinette was so focused on what was going on with Luka that she almost forgot that Félix was an issue.

Speaking of whom, after the school day ended, Félix got in his family car and it was being driven home. Félix had used his phone to do something, and put it back in his pocket.

But he pulled out _another_ phone from another pocket - _Luka's_ phone.

Félix followed the pattern of Luka's fingerprints to hack in, and he got into Luka's text messages. He pulled up Marinette's number...

Out in the courtyard, Marinette was hanging out with Alya after school to work on some things for her website. The two of them were on their phones to compile images for the website, but Marinette got an alert on her phone.

"Oh, a text from Luka!" Marinette squealed. But when she saw the message on her phone, her expression was puzzled. "That's odd..."

"Odd?" Alya asked.

"He's asking me to meet him at one of the royal suites at the Grand Paris Hotel this afternoon. Says he has a surprise for me..." Marinette explained.

"Really? How could he afford to rent that room?" Alya asked.

"Well, he _does_ work part-time as a food delivery driver. Maybe he was saving up money for this?" Marinette asked.

"Yeah, but the hotel room? Doesn't that sound a bit... You know...?" Alya asked.

"Yeah, my gut's telling me something's off, too," Marinette muttered. "This isn't like him. I mean, I know Jagged Stone has a room at the hotel, but that's the only connection I've gotten..."

"Just in case, you'd better go _prepared_ , if you know what I mean." Alya warned, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Great idea." Marinette agreed, a little cautious.

Her stomach was churning, but she couldn't figure out _why_. Why would Luka invite her to a hotel room of all places? That wasn't like him.

* * *

A few hours later, Marinette was in her room, gathering some supplies in case her instincts were on point (nine times out of ten, they were).

"Okay, Defender pepper spray, check..." Marinette said as she put a canister of pepper spray in her bag. It was a fancy pepper spray item that also had a camera, GPS transmitter, and alarm.

She'd recently gotten it as a present from her parents, who wanted her to have it in case she got jumped or attacked in general.

Marinette gathered up a few other items, including a whistle, a self-defense keychain, and brass knuckles. Call her paranoid, but _something_ was wrong.

"Mom, Dad, I'm going out!" Marinette said as she ran out the door.

She made a run for the Grand Paris Hotel. Her instincts were raising red flags, and she kept the warnings in the back of her mind. As she came to the front of the hotel, she looked around to see if Luka's bike was parked.

 _'Okay, no motorcycle... Red flag one.'_ Marinette thought. She entered the hotel.

She looked around and saw the concierge at the desk. She approached and said, "Um, excuse me, I was invited to come to one of the royal suites? This room?"

Marinette showed the concierge the room number on her phone.

"Ah, yes, the young man is waiting for you." The concierge said as he gestured to the stairway.

"Um... If you don't mind me asking, who exactly booked the room?" Marinette asked.

"I'm afraid he asked to remain anonymous, and as an employee here, I am obligated not to disrespect the wishes of our guests." The concierge told her.

Another red flag.

Marinette swallowed a lump in her throat and started walking up the stairs to the right floor...

Back with Luka and Juleka, they'd recruited Rose to help them find Luka's phone. They'd looked all over the school, tried calling it multiple times, but nothing. It was like it vanished. They decided to check at home.

"Where could I have dropped it?" Luka asked as he rummaged around under his bed. He turned to his sister. "Hey, Jule? You think you could use the "Find my Phone" feature to see if you can track my phone?"

"Great idea." Juleka said as she picked up _her_ phone and used the "Find my Phone" feature to find Luka's phone.

When she saw where the icon to Luka's phone was popping up...

" _Qu'est-ce que dans l'enfer?_ This can't be right." Rose stated.

"What's the problem?" Luka asked.

"It says your phone is at the Grand Paris Hotel." Juleka reported.

"Say what?" He asked. "How'd it get _there?_ I haven't been there in weeks aside from the occasional delivery... I wasn't even there _today._ "

"If you weren't there at all today, and today was when your phone went missing, _something_ is wrong." Rose said.

"Yeah, I know..." Luka said. The trio started to think.

"Hang on, did you have any encounters with Félix today?" Rose questioned. "He's the only one who'd be at that hotel, minus Chloé."

"Yeah, I _did_ see him today, and he _seemed_ like he was trying to apologize for his behavior, but..." Luka said, but his eyes widened.

Something clicked.

 _"Uh-oh!"_ The three of them said.

 _"Merde!_ I'd better go! Marinette could be in huge trouble!" Luka shouted as he grabbed his helmet and ran up to the deck. "Round up the girls and get them here!"

"Okay!" Rose said.

"Bring her back here, Luka!" Juleka prayed.

"Not again..." Rose began before looking at her girlfriend. "How many times has Luka had to go and get Marinette away from Félix?"

"Quite a few times. He had to get her away from him during that movie premier." Juleka reported.

"He'd better get to her _soon!_ This isn't good..." Rose squeaked.

* * *

At the hotel, Marinette walked into the room, only to find it empty. She scanned the scene with her eyes before stepping further in. Seeing she was alone, she looked around and asked aloud, "Um, Luka? I'm here."

She heard the door shut and lock.

"Sorry, _cherié._ That blue-haired Jagged Stone wannabe isn't here." A familiar voice said. Marinette got chills.

She turned around fast enough to get whiplash, only to see Félix laying against the wall, standing next to the door and giving her the same predatory, cruel smile and narrowed eyes he usually had on his face.

"Félix?! What are you...?!" Marinette asked.

Félix held up a phone, but it wasn't _his_ phone, it was Luka's.

"Luka's phone! How'd you..." Marinette began to ask, but it dawned on her. "You snitched it from him, didn't you?!"

"Sharp as a tack as always." Félix chuckled as he put the phone in his pocket. He leaned off the wall, put his hands behind his back, and began to saunter over to Marinette.

" _What_ do you want, Félix?! I've had it up to _here_ with your harassment!" Marinette said, raising her hand above her eyes to emphasize her frustration.

"What do I want?" Félix asked with a chuckle, his expression still on there. "What I've wanted ever since you came to my magic show: for you to go out with me. But I had to get you alone, away from that annoying boyfriend of yours."

"This whole thing was a trap?! I _knew_ something wasn't adding up." Marinette said, realizing what was going on.

"Come on, let's not call this a "trap," that sounds so cruel," Félix insisted. "I prefer to use the phrase, "did a sleeping beauty," and it led you here."

"That still sounds like "trap" to me." Marinette said as she tried to step away.

"So, Marinette, let's get down to business," Félix insisted as he smirked, and started walking around the room, laying out his idea. "I was thinking we could start dating right now. The two of us could have dinner right here at the hotel, and you could wear one of the outfits you designed. Yes, that maid costume you were wearing at the premier was _adorable_ on you, but I think seeing you in an elegant dress would be just as nice."

" _Pour pleurer à chaudes larmes_ , Félix, my answer is a _big, fat NO!_ " Marinette said as she rounded to him and shouted the two-letter word at his back.

Félix paused, turned around, and gave Marinette a questioning look combined with a scowl.

"No? _NO?_ " Félix began, but his face melted into something, as if he'd gotten a hint about something. "Oh, _now_ I get it."

" _Oh, merci mon dieu, ENFIN!_ " Marinette said, relieved that Félix realized her meaning at last.

"You're joking with me." Félix began.

 _"What?!"_ Marinette asked, floored that _that_ was the conclusion Félix came to.

Félix began belly-laughing like he was a raving maniac. Marinette got chills down her spine, she was shaking in disgust and fear, and she was looking at Félix like he was a monster.

"Um, Félix..." Marinette began as she began to reach for the pepper spray.

 _"What's so funny?!"_ Félix asked in rage, rounding on her with a glare on his face.

Marinette gulped and stepped back.

 _"Don't make me laugh!"_ Félix began, raising up and laughing once more. _"Don't make me laugh!"_

Marinette only watched in fright as Félix kept laughing.

He got closer to her, and with a wicked smile/sneer expression, he stood over her and said to her, _"My funny friend, don't make me bend in half!"_

He leaned in closer, and she leaned back, stepping away and putting her hands up to defend herself.

 _"Don't be a card, babe! Don't mess with me!"_ Félix sang.

He started stepping closer to Marinette, but she was stepping away from him to get away, as he sang, _"Don't make me laugh so hard! It's not a sight to see!"_

Marinette stumbled and fell into a rolling chair.

 _"Don't make me laugh!"_ Félix sang as he pushed the chair while spinning it around. Marinette hung onto her seat, afraid. _"Don't pull my leg!"_

Félix grabbed her arm before pulling her back. Marinette looked up at him in fear and saw the scornful look in his face.

 _"May I suggest, you would do best to beg!"_ He sang as he put his face into hers. She pulled back, scared and sweat beading on her temple.

She tried to grab the pepper spray from her bag, but Félix grabbed her wrists, yanked her up from the chair, and pulled her closer.

 _"If you say "no," miss, if you refuse,"_ Félix began, and Marinette saw the cruel, angry scowl on his face. She swallowed a lump in her throat. _"This is your notice that I refuse to lose!"_

Marinette tried to step on his foot and run, but he was one step ahead of her and forcibly put her into a waltz position and he made her start dancing.

 _"Say "yes," my love, and go with a winner. Believe me, that would be wiser."_ Félix sang as he forced Marinette closer to him, and they were chest-to-chest.

Marinette tried pushing him away and grabbing for one of her weapons, but he turned her around in his arms.

 _"Say "no," poor dove, and you're crap life's dinner!"_ Félix crooned as he forced Marinette into an underarm-turn, traveled her, and he gave her a wicked smile.

Marinette squeaked as she started unwillingly dancing with him again.

 _"And Luka's the appetizer!"_ Félix sang once more, and that threat hanging over Marinette's head scared her witless.

He started laughing again as he let go of Marinette, and she was stumbling around, feeling her stomach filling with bile, getting dizzy, and about to fall over, all while Félix's cackle was ringing in her ears.

Marinette turned around to run to the door, but Félix blocked her path and got in her face.

 _"Get the picture?"_ He sang in askance. Marinette swallowed a lump in her throat.

She tried to run again, but once again, Félix grabbed her and she was trapped once more.

 _"Don't make me laugh! Or slap my knee!"_ Félix said before forcibly dipping her by the waist. _"I'm not one to bet, so Marinette, what'll it be?"_

He yanked her back up, and Marinette was trying to push him away again and again while trying to find an opening to get her brass knuckles out.

But he did an underarm turn and spun her faster and faster, singing, _"Right this way to my fam's estate, or write your epitaph!"_

Marinette all but screamed at that demand, but once she was done spinning, she was pulled back into Félix's arms, her eyes glued to him and his cocky, cruel smile on his face.

He demanded in song, _"You choose your fate, don't make me wait, and baby..."_

Marinette was stuck, and Félix lifted her up by her waist before singing, _"Don't make me laugh~!"_

He threw her onto the sofa, and he put his foot on the ottoman, one hand on his hip while the other arm was draped over his knee while looking at her, the epitome of confident and entitled. Marinette was looking at him in fear, disgust, and disinterest.

She also noticed that all that prancing around made Félix drop Luka's phone. She raised her foot to kick him in his balls when...

_*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!* *BANG BANG BANG!*_

_"Marinette?! Are you okay in there?!"_ Luka shouted. _"It's me, Luka! I'm here to help!"_

"Luka!" Marinette asked as she shoved Félix to the floor, scrambled to grab Luka's phone from the floor, and ran over to the door. She flung it open.

"Oh, _quel soulagement_ , you're okay!" Luka said, breathing in relief. He pulled Marinette into his embrace.

"Hey, what are _you_ doing here?!" Félix demanded.

Luka kept hugging Marinette. He looked up from her sweet face and glared Félix down, asking, "What were you planning to do by leading her here?"

"Does it matter?" Félix asked. "I was in the middle of wooing her when _you_ interrupted!"

"And good thing he _did!_ " Marinette barked back at him as she handed Luka's phone back to him. "You _clearly_ have a wax buildup in your ears! I keep telling you "no," but you're still pushing me!"

Félix opened his mouth, but Luka said, "Come on, let's get out of here, Marinette."

Luka led Marinette out of the door and shut it.

Félix snarled, growling in rage and eyes narrowing in hatred.

"Mark my words, Marinette... You won't find Luka Couffaine so charming when _I'm_ through with him!" Félix vowed under his breath.

Outside, Marinette and Luka were once again on the bike and they were now driving down the road.

"So glad I got to you in time! I was so worried!" Luka told her.

"Thanks, Luka, but how did you find me without your phone?" Marinette asked.

"I asked Juleka to use the "Find my Phone" feature to track mine, and when we saw that it was at the Grand Paris Hotel, alarm bells went off." Luka explained.

"Oh, Luka..." Marinette said, all but swooning. She hugged Luka's back and snuggled her face into it. He chuckled as he kept riding down the road.

* * *

They pair went to the boat, and called in the rest of the girls and reported the situation...

"I can't believe he'd sink _that_ low as to steal your phone, Luka!" Alya roared.

"I know..." Luka spoke as he held Marinette close to him.

"Okay, enough's enough!" Alix stated.

"Yeah!" Myléne agreed. "Enough avoiding Félix! We need to get the Principal involved!"

"Hey, if he's going to be a doormat for the mayor, who's to say he'll act any different regarding Félix?" Juleka asked.

"It wouldn't hurt to try," Luka said. He was hugging Marinette, whose head was against his chest. "I'm sick of having to deal with him, too. He makes Marinette _so_ scared that I've half a mind to deck him."

"Me, too." Marinette agreed.

"Hey, no in-school fighting!" Myléne warned.

"She's right," Rose said. "Let's get Principal Damocles involved and _fast_."

"But we can't just go in and accuse Félix of harassment. We need evidence." Marinette added.

"What about the security cameras in school?" Alya questioned.

"Great idea!" Alix agreed. "Let's get to it!"

Alya started up an email to send the principal, asking him to look over the security camera footage for incidents of Félix bothering Marinette.

"Hey, changing the subject," Rose began. "On a nicer note, what about the semi-annual school formal dance?! Any plans?"

"I'm fine going solo, or just third-wheeling with Marc and Nate," Alix said. "What are you doing, Alya?"

"Count on me and Nino to go together. He's also the DJ for it!" Alya replied. "Rose? You and Juleka are pairing up?"

"Definitely!" Rose said. "Myléne? You and Ivan?"

"Yep!" Myléne confirmed. "So, what about you and Luka, Marinette?"

"Us?" Marinette asked, looking at Luka and back at her friends. "Well, I _would_ like to go to the dance..."

"Why don't we?" Luka suggested, getting his girlfriend's attention. "It sounds like fun."

Marinette smiled and she said, "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Luka confirmed with a nod. "Besides, this is Félix Graham de Vanily we're talking about. If he's such a hoity-toity brat, then what are the chances he'll go?"

"Good point." "Yeah." "I don't think Félix has _ever_ been to one of the dances before." "So, let's forget about Félix and have fun, getting ready for the school dance!" "Great idea."

Everyone started talking about their plans for the dance, including the dresses, the accessories, and everything. Marinette and Luka looked at each other, and the two of them started holding hands.

"I'll be here for you..." Luka murmured as Marinette snuggled closer to her boyfriend.

* * *

**Okay, that's that for this chapter. Keep the reviews and kudos coming, and the next (and possibly final) chapter will be upon us.**

**Coming up, the group's getting ready for the dance _and_ compiling evidence to take to the principal to implicate Félix! **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's keep the comments and kudos coming, okay? 
> 
> Here's the translations for the French used in this chapter:
> 
> Qu'est-ce que dans l'enfer? - What in the hell?  
> Merde! - General swearing, such as "shit," "crap," etc.  
> Pour pleurer à chaudes larmes - For crying out loud  
> Oh, merci mon dieu, ENFIN! - Oh, thank god, FINALLY!  
> Quel soulagement! - What a relief!


	6. The Perfect S'more

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and her team are getting ready for the formal dance, all while trying to avoid Félix AND implicate him.

**Okay, the finale is up!**

**The gang is getting ready for the school dance, which includes Marinette making Luka's suit _and_ her dress. Meanwhile, they're also compiling evidence to implicate Félix for harassment, _and_ when they learn about Félix's next plans, they decide to set a trap for him.  
**

**Song(s) Included, with and without modifications:**

**Footloose: Kenny Loggins  
Take A Hint: Victorious Soundtrack**

* * *

The weekend came and went, and Marinette, Luka, and company were already getting the ball rolling on their plans for the dance _and_ stop Félix.

The first part of their plan involved school. Since that was the primary place where the incidents were occurring, that's where the most strategies were in place. Since Luka wasn't in the same class as Marinette, the group made it a rule that Marinette had to have someone with her at all times, whether it was the bathroom or the locker areas (when they reported the issue to Mme. Bustier, she put her foot down on Félix's behavior and allowed this). They kept the "graham crackers" code word, and Luka would walk her to and from school every day.

Also, if Marinette wasn't so lucky and she _did_ run into Félix, the plan was that she would also covertly record everything.

The second part of the plan included getting Marinette's parents involved. Tom and Sabine would audio/video recording any encounters with Amélie or Félix, both in and out of the bakery.

Speaking of which, when Marinette and Luka reported everything to her parents, they decided that until the Félix situation was resolved, Marinette wasn't allowed to work in the bakery, even for deliveries. Otherwise, Marinette either had to be locked in her room _or_ out with her friends (or preferably, Luka).

The third part of the plan involved daily before and after school meetings to report on any encounters for the day. They were all in agreement that they considered it a good day if no one had anything to report.

That Monday, Luka, Marinette, and company were outside the school prior to the bell, talking about their weekend report.

"So, any encounters with Félix?" Alya asked Marinette.

"He _did_ come by the bakery yesterday, but mom and dad recorded the encounter _and_ Luka and I were out on a date at the time." Marinette reported.

"Anything else?" Alix questioned.

"That's it. I blocked his phone number on my phone just in case." Marinette said.

"Great," Myléne said. "We'll head inside and meet you in the classroom."

Mylene, Alix, Rose, and Juleka went inside ahead of the others, leaving Alya with Marinette and Luka.

"I can't wait to get started on your suit, Luka!" Marinette giggled.

"I can't wait, either," Luka agreed. "You're one hell of a designer, so you're sure to make one killer suit."

"Aw, thank you." Marinette said with a blush.

"I'll see you later to walk you home, okay?" Luka said as he kissed Marinette on her cheek. He walked up the stairs and into the school, all while blowing a two-finger kiss towards her.

Marinette, blushing red, tried her best not to swoon, and Alya was ready to catch her in case she did.

"Come on girl, go gaga over your boyfriend later," Alya laughed. "Let's get to class, okay?"

"Okay." Marinette said as she and Alya went inside the building.

Immediately, they saw that the halls were decorated with flyers for the dance.

"Wow, everyone's so excited for the dance." Marinette pointed out as she and Alya started walking the hallways and saw all the decorations, flyers, and such.

"It's a big deal. It's only held twice a year and everyone gets to cut loose and have fun!" Alya said. She also noticed something out of her peripheral vision. "Speaking of fun, take a look."

Alya pointed out a sign-up sheet on one of the walls, for candidates for Formal King and Queen.

"Formal King and Queen signups?" Marinette asked aloud. "Sounds like Rose is going a _little_ too nuts with this."

"Not interested in being Formal Queen?" Alya asked.

"Me? Interested in being Formal Queen?" Marinette parroted.

"Yeah, think about it," Alya began. "You and Luka, wearing the Formal Crowns as King and Queen, and the two of you share a romantic slow dance as everyone watched, enamored with the two of you."

"No way. I'm not graceful enough to be Formal Queen. And not only that, look," Marinette said, shaking her head as she directed Alya to look at the sheet. "Guess who's running for King?"

"Oh no..." Alya murmured as she closed her eyes in distaste. "Félix. Which means he _is_ attending the dance..."

"All the more for me _not_ to sign up. What if I win Queen and Félix is crowned Formal King? It'd be a nightmare." Marinette moaned.

"Yeah, it would, wouldn't it?" Alya agreed, but she was still looking at the sheet.

Marinette was frantically looking around, keeping an eye out for the aforementioned blonde.

"Any sign of him?" Alya asked.

"No, nothing yet." Marinette said, relieved that she didn't see him.

"Good..." Alya said, a familiar smile coming up on her lips.

"Come on, let's get to class! The longer we're out here, the higher the likelihood we are to run into him!" Marinette said as she made to drag Alya away.

* * *

The rest of the day included the usual routine, with classes, Marinette ducking Félix, and staying with one member of her group whenever she was out in the hallways, even when coming/going to the bathroom.

In the art room, Marinette was sketching the design for Luka's suit.

"So, blues are definitely a must, and I want to incorporate your love of music somehow..." Marinette began as she kept writing ideas down.

"Don't worry too much, Marinette," Luka assured her. "I trust you."

Marinette blushed as she continued adding a few bits and

"Okay, that's done. Your measurements are finished and your requirements for the suit are done..." Marinette began, listing off the measurements and making notes on the checklist.

"Great." Luka said with a smile.

"I'm so excited to make this suit for you!" Marinette said, giggling. "You're going to look great when it's done."

"I can't wait to wear it," Luka laughed in response. "...Hey, Marinette, I wanted to ask, may I see your sketchbook? I want to see what you have in mind for your dress."

"Oh, definitely!" Marinette said as she flipped to the page where her design for her dress was.

Luka looked it over and his smile slowly grew.

"...Wow! It's _gorgeous!_ And it'll look even better in the 3-D when it's done, I'll bet." Luka praised.

"Thanks," Marinette giggled as she let him hug her by the shoulder and kiss her on the cheek. "Oh, you sweetie."

The two of them kept laughing, but they made sure to keep it down in case Félix was nearby.

They made their way to the door to leave, and Luka opened it. But his eyes blew out a bit when he saw Félix making his way down the hall. He was actively looking around, too.

Luka quietly shut the door, shook his head at Marinette while mouthing "graham crackers," and she nodded in understanding.

Later on that afternoon, Marinette was going to the lockers, with Alya in tow.

"Sounds like you're making a lot of progress on both your dress _and_ his suit," Alya said as she heard Marinette's plans. "The two of you will be the center of attention at the dance!"

Alya was ahead, and she peeked inside the locker area. She sucked in her breath through her teeth at the sight.

Félix was there, standing beside Marinette's locker, and he was on his phone.

Alya whirled around to Marinette, crossing her arms in an 'X' motion to warn her while also mouthing "graham crackers." Marinette nodded with a grimace.

"So, our sponsorship of the dance, including refreshments, décor and entertainment, is in the clear?" Félix asked over the phone.

Marinette and Alya hid around the wall to listen in. The former took out a high-powered microphone to attach to her phone, and she began recording Félix's conversation.

"Of course, mom," Félix said. "Obviously I'm bringing Marinette to the dance, whether she wants it or not. I'll swing by her place to pick her up at 6PM that night... Don't worry, he won't be able to ruin anything... By the end of the night, I'll have the woman who's rightfully mine, and then all will be right with the world..."

There was more chatter on the other end of the line. Félix chuckled before saying, "Okay, see you at home, mom."

He hung up before leaning against the wall again.

Marinette shuddered in nauseated fear before turning off the microphone and swiftly messaging Luka, her parents, and her team about the news, with the recording to back it up.

"We'd better go around the back and wait for him to leave before we go in." Alya whispered. Marinette nodded. The two of them tiptoed away from the locker room.

"Honestly, I'm getting sick of sneaking around like this..." Marinette said to Alya.

"Yeah. I wish there was a way to catch him in the act in more than one place." Alya said.

The lightbulb went off in Marinette's head, and she turned to Alya. With a confident smile, she said, "Alya, you just gave me an idea. Let's gather up the team and I'll explain later."

Alya smiled and sent a message to their group chat as she followed Marinette down the hallways.

* * *

The evening of the dance, everyone was at their houses, getting in their clothes for the dance. Rose and Juleka were doing each other's makeup and hair, and they each had their own dresses ready. Myléne and Ivan were at the former's home, and they were already posing for pictures.

Meanwhile, Marinette was up in her room, now in her dress, and she was working on her hair and makeup. She kept her makeup to a minimum, with only eyeliner, mascara, and nude eyeshadow. She also had some lip gloss on, to. Her hair was down and she'd finished brushing it. She also put a pink peony pin in her hair.

She rose up from her chair and she looked at herself in her full-length mirror. She was wearing a pink A-line dress with a scalloped, off-shoulder neckline. The dress went down to her ankles and had a lace tier underneath the fabric.

_*KNOCK KNOCK*_

"Marinette, Luka's here!" Sabine said from below.

"Coming!" Marinette said as she got her flat shoes on and went downstairs.

She smiled as soon as she saw Luka in the suit she made him. It was a navy blue tuxedo without any tails in the back, navy blue pants, a black undershirt, a navy blue necktie with music notes on it, and the cuff pins were made to look like music notes. He was wearing black shoes, too. He had his hair styled the usual way. He was carrying a pink peony corsage.

"You look handsome." Marinette said as she approached him.

"And you look as adorable as ever," Luka replied. He held her hand and slipped the corsage onto her wrist. "You're so talented, making that dress by yourself."

"Thank you." Marinette said as she snuggled closer to her beau.

"She definitely knows how to dress a person," Tom praised. "And you definitely look dapper in that suit."

"Thanks, Tom," Luka said with a chuckle. "So, how about some pictures before we go?"

"Great idea, but we'd better be quick," Sabine agreed. "It's about 5:30 now, and you said Félix was going to be by to bring you to the dance at 6?"

"Right." Marinette said.

"Then let's take a few pictures and I'll drive you to the dance." Tom instructed.

Tom took out his phone while Sabine had a professional camera on hand, too. Marinette and Luka began doing different poses. Luka had Marinette in both of his arms in one shot, the next shot had the two of them making like they were about to share a dance, the third shot had Marinette dipped over Luka's knee, etc.

All the poses were adorable and the pictures were equally as much. The pair were looking at each other with love in their eyes, and Marinette couldn't help but want to kiss him right there. Luka chuckled in response.

"I think that's enough photos, you two," Sabine laughed as she looked at the time. "Now, let's get you to the dance!"

Tom took up the car keys and led the teenagers to the car. As they got into the car and drove off, Sabine smiled and went to shut the door to the bakery.

At the dance, Marinette and Luka came in without any trouble. They entered and saw most of their peers and a few teachers, all in formal dress and enjoying the lively atmosphere of the dance. The place was decorated in a more palatial manner, thanks to the funding from the Graham de Vanily family. There were fancy balloons and streamers to accompany the luxurious tablecloths.

Nino was up on stage, and he was scratching the records like the DJ he was. He was wearing a dark green suit (more like navy green) and had his headphones on. The music he was creating was more pop-hip-hop than it was classical, but no one cared. Alya was down in front of the stage, wearing an orange cocktail dress and matching kitten heels, along with orange stud earrings and a fox tail necklace.

"Alya!" Marinette called.

Alya looked over to her and she said, "Marinette! Great to see you!"

Alya ran over to her and she said, "OMG, girl, you're looking _stellar_ tonight!"

"Thank you," Marinette laughed. "And you look very foxy tonight, too."

Along with Luka, the girls laughed.

"So, are we all set?" Luka asked, getting a bit serious.

"Yeah, we are," Alya began. "I already told the right people what to do and when. I cannot _wait_ to see the look on Félix's face!"

They once again laughed.

"Forget about that prick for now," Alya said. "Why don't the two of you go and dance? Or get something to eat?"

"Great idea," Luka agreed as the two of them made their way to the snack table. "Those cheese puffs look delicious!"

"Yeah, and so does the rest of this food!" Marinette said as she looked at all the snacks.

There was a huge variety, including a fruit platter, some tapenade variations with toasts, fromage blanc spread with baguette (courtesy of the Dupain-Chengs), and more.

"Hey, let's nibble a little bit before they actually serve dinner," Marinette said as she took a small plate and used the tongs to take several strawberries and a few cheese puffs. "Anything you want?"

"Just for you to enjoy yourself, Marinette." Luka said while giving Marinette a tender look. Marinette blushed at this as he took some baguette and fromage blanc spread onto his plate.

The two of them were looking at each other with loving glances as they went to a table to eat.

Back at the bakery, a fancy car pulled up to the curb. Out stepped Félix, in a nicer suit than his usual clothes, and he had a bouquet of flowers in hand, as well as a blue rose corsage.

Inside, Tom and Sabine were going about their business, closing up for the night.

Félix barged in, and he said, "Good evening, M. and Mme. Dupain-Cheng!"

The parents looked up at Félix, and they gave him neutral looks.

"I'm here to take Marinette to the dance. Send her down, if you wouldn't mind?" Félix asked as he presented the flower and corsage.

Sabine smiled and said, "I'm sorry, but Marinette's already at the dance with Luka."

Félix's eyes bugged out, before his face turned angry. He threw the corsage on the floor, breaking the container and the piece wilted.

He snarled in rage as he looked at his destroyed flower, which was a symbol of unattainable love, and he said, "There's no way I'm going to let the likes of _him_ ruin my plans... Marinette Dupain-Cheng is _MINE!_ "

At the dance, Marinette and Luka were talking and eating some of the snacks, making sure they were saving room for the actual meal.

Nino looked at them from the sidelines, and he glanced at Alya. She nodded at him and Nino used his phone to change the song.

The song changed into something familiar and fun. The drums began playing in the background. People cheered, and Marinette heard several people say, "I love this song" in the background.

"Hey, you wanna dance?" Luka asked as he held his hand out to her while the guitar in the song started to play.

"Sounds great." Marinette said as Luka took her hand and he pulled her out of her seat.

The two of them went to the dance floor.

 _"Been working so hard! I'm punching my card! Eight hours for what? Oh, tell me what I got!"_ The voice sang out through the sounds.

Marinette looked up at Luka, and they were giving each other happy, loving smiles.

 _"I got this feeling, that time's just holding me down!"_ The song played out. _"I'll hit the ceiling, or else I'll tear up this town."_

Luka once again held out his hand to her. Marinette put her hand in, and Luka immediately started moving.

_"Tonight I gotta cut loose! Footloose! Kick off my Sunday shoes!"_

They were freestyle dancing, including swaying their bodies around to the tempo of the music. Luka did an underarm turn with Marinette, lifted her up by the waist and spun around, and they started dancing with all the gusto they had. Marinette was laughing as they kept doing turns with each other, and other dance moves that they probably shouldn't be doing in formal dress.

_"Please, Louise, pull me offa my knees!"_

They kept dancing, all carefree and happy. Everyone who caught sight of their moves made space for them on the dance floor and started dancing along in such a way that they didn't run into Marinette and Luka by mistake.

Félix stormed into the dance and with a laser-sharp, murderous glint in his eyes, he started scanning the scene for Marinette. Once he caught sight of Marinette and Luka dancing, he growled and began to charge over.

_"Jack, get back! C'mon before we crack! Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose!"_

Luka felt daggers at his back, he craned his neck around and caught sight of Félix coming right at him.

Luka quickly dragged Marinette off the dance floor. Marinette began, "Hey, Luka, what's...?"

Luka brought Marinette to the snack table before asking, "What's up?"

Luka put a finger to his lips and mouthed out "graham crackers." Marientte nodded before the two of them got some more food to eat.

Marinette smiled and got a few more berries and baguette slices before going to their seats. Luka turned around and leveled a glare at Félix. He got his phone out to record this encounter.

"Look here, mister," Félix said, poking Luka in the chest. "I don't know what you plan on doing, but rest assured that when _I'm_ crowned Formal King, Marinette won't be going _anywhere_ with the likes of you!"

"Listen, I'm not running for King. And Marinette's got no designs on being Queen, either. She told me that," Luka said, trying to be calm. "So, cna't you just leave her alone? She's had enough of you harassing her."

"Oh, please. Soon, they'll be announcing King and Queen of the Formal, and then Marinette and I will be a thing and you'll just be an afterthought." Félix spat.

He turned on his heel before walking away.

Luka shook his head in annoyance as he went over to sit with Marinette.

"So, he gave you an earful." Marinette stated in summary.

"Yep," Luka replied. "Don't worry, though, you'll be okay. We know what to do when he pushes it."

Marinette gave him a determined smile and she giggled.

Seeing them together, Félix gripped his punch glass so hard that it shattered. He was snarling. The rest of the girls were watching the scene in disgust and distaste.

Marinette and Luka decided to forget about Félix and keep moving around to prevent him from getting close. They danced to a few more songs, kept ducking Félix, and ate the meal that was served, which was Chateaubriand, amongst other fancy dishes (courtesy of the catering company the school hired).

On the stage, two crowns were on silk pillows. The tiara made for a queen was on one while the king's crown, which was bigger, was on the other.

 _"Okay, everyone!"_ Rose said, up on the stage as the emcee for the dance. _"Time for the crowning of the Formal King and Queen! First up, the Queen!"_

Everyone went quiet and gathered around the stage as Rose took out the envelope with a big flair. She smiled brightly and she said, _"The votes are in! No surprises here, but our Formal Queen is..."_

Chloé was standing with her same, entitled smile, standing proud and conceited. Marinette, on the other hand, was just waiting for the name to be called so she and Luka could duck out.

 _"...Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"_ Rose screamed into the microphone.

Marinette's eyes blew open and she looked around in surprise as everyone started cheering for her. She gasped and looked around, before asking, "What? Me? I didn't even sign up!"

She caught Alya giggling, her mischievous smile upon her face as always.

"Alya... Did you...?" Marinette began.

 _"I signed you up!"_ Alya laughed. "I couldn't help it! With everything you do for your friends and to protect yourself, you deserve it."

"Alya! Not cool!" Marinette protested.

 _"Marinette! Marinette! Marinette!"_ Everyone in the room chanted.

Marinette sighed and walked up to the stage. Rose took the queen's tiara and put it on Marinette's head. She looked out to the crowd to see everyone (minus Chloé) applauding for her, chanting her name, and screaming for joy. Marinette looked out to Luka, who was giving her a beaming smile and clapping on her behalf, too.

 _"Alright, now that we have our Queen, shall we give her a King?"_ Rose asked.

Everyone cheered a big fat, _"YES!"_

 _"That's the spirit!"_ Rose said as she got out the envelope for the results of the Formal King. _"The Formal King for this year..."_

Everyone held their breath. Luka was looking on in concern, meanwhile Félix had a smile mirroring Chloé's. Luka snuck a glance at his rival before looking up at Marinette with an expression that was akin to an equal mixture of worry and hope.

Rose smiled and she looked up.

 _"Again, no surprises, but by a landslide, our Formal King is Marinette's boyfriend, Luka Couffaine!"_ Rose squealed.

Everyone (minus Félix) cheered as Luka smiled in surprise and delight.

He ran up onto the stage. He knelt down with his hand to his chest, and the crown was placed on his head. Everyone was cheering and applauding as Luka rose up and looked at Marinette. He also caught Alya laughing.

Marinette and Luka laughed in delight as the two of them held each other by the arms.

"I guess Alya had a hand in this as well." Luka laughed.

"Yeah... But I'm glad she did." Marinette agreed as she got closer to Luka.

 _"Now, for the Formal King and Queen's first dance!"_ Rose announced as Luka and Marinette went back down to the dance floor.

 _"THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!"_ Félix hollered as he stormed up towards the stage to confront the emcee. _"_ I _was meant to be Formal King with Marinette as Formal Queen!"_

"Sorry, Félix, but your name wasn't on the list." Rose stated.

 _"What?! My name_ was _there!"_ Félix roared.

"But it was crossed out..." Rose pointed out as she showed him the list. Sure enough, Félix's name was there, but it was crossed out.

Marinette looked out to the crowd and once again saw Alya giggling.

"Alya, did you cross Félix's name off the Formal King list?" Marinette asked, her smile growing.

"Sure did!" Alya said. "No way was I going to let Félix be King! I just let the committee assume he dropped out."

"Nice one, Alya!" Luka praised.

"No, no, _not_ nice!" Félix stated as he glared at Luka and Marinette.

Rolling her eyes, Marinette turned to the stage and said, "Hey Nino, you know that song I compared to my situation with Félix? Do you have it on your playlist?"

"Sure do," Nino said as he worked on the stand before tossing the microphone to Marinette. "You wanna sing?"

"Yes," Marinette said as she caught it in hand and smirked in confidence. She turned to Luka. "Luka, you wouldn't happen to have a guitar on hand, would you?"

"No..." Luka admitted.

"No problem, dude," Nino said from up on stage. He took out a guitar from the back and took it out. "Had a hunch something like this would go down. Here you go!"

Nino tossed it over to Luka, who caught it with both of his hands.

Nino turned the music on and everyone else, barring Luka and Félix, cleared the dance floor. As part of the song began playing, Luka started playing his guitar along to the music. Marinette confronted the blonde, and she started to sing.

 _"Why am I always hit on by this guy that I don't like?"_ Marinette said, thumb-jerking at Félix. _"I can always see him coming from the left and from the right!"_

Félix opened his mouth to speak, but Marinette cut in to keep singing.

 _"I don't wanna be a priss, I'm just trying to be polite! But it always seems to bite me in the-"_ She sang, and then she smacked her tush to get the point across before continuing.

She started pressing towards him, forcing him to step back. She sang, _"Ask me for my number, yeah you put me on the spot! You think that we should hook up, but I think that we should NOT!"_

Marinette kept using hand gestures and facial expressions to drive her point while continuing her song.

 _"You had me at hello, then you opened up your mouth, and that is when it started going south, oh!"_ Marinette sang.

Everyone began clapping in time as Marinette continued her song, including body movements to go along with the lyrics.

 _"Get your hands off my hips, 'fore I punch you in the lips! Stop your staring at my - HEY! Take a hint, take a hint!"_ Marinette sang as she kept approaching Félix, including shaking her hips, raising a fist, and getting closer.

Félix was about to protest, but she poked him in his chest before backing away, singing, _"No, you can't get me a drink! Let me tell you what I think!"_

She waved her hand in front of her nose, as if she smelled something horrible.

 _"I think you could use a mint! Take a hint, take a hint!"_ Marinette sang, before doing a spin and facing Félix down with a glare. _"T-Take a hint, take a hint!"_

Félix once again tried to approach and corner Marinette, but she ducked out of the way and went back to Luka.

 _"I guess you still don't get it, so let's take it from the top! You asked me what my sign is and I told you it was STOP!"_ She sang before putting her hand up at the last word in the line.

She rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance before continuing.

 _"And if I had a dime for every name that you just dropped, you'd be here and we'd be on a yacht, OH!"_ Marinette sang as she stood next to Luka.

She continued to dance and sing, with everyone else clapping in time.

 _"Get your hands off my hips, 'fore I punch you in the lips! Stop your staring at my - HEY! Take a hint, take a hint!"_ Marinette sang. She got in Félix's face, glared him down, and kept going.

 _"No, you can't get me a drink! Let me tell you what I think!"_ She sang before holding her nose. _"I think you could use a mint! Take a hint, take a hint! T-Take a hint, take a hint!"_

Marinette let go, looking at Félix with desperation and disdain, singing aloud, _"What about "no" don't you get?! So go and tell your fam - I am SO not interested!"_

Félix only got angrier at this as he kept looking at Marinette while glaring Luka down.

 _"It's about time that you're leaving! I'm gonna count to three and open my eyes and you'll be gone!"_ Marinette sang as she kept approaching.

Félix kept backing away.

 _"One - get your hands off my. Two - or I'll punch you in the. Three - STOP YOUR STARING AT MY - HEY!"_ Marinette sang, mirroring each motion with the lyrics. _"Take a hint, take a hint!"_

Marinette spat in Félix's face before backing away to stay with Luka.

 _"I am NOT your missing link! Let me tell you what I think! I think you could use a mint! Take a hint, take a hint! Whoa...!"_ Marinette crooned.

She started shaking her hips and kept glaring Félix down before singing, _"Get your hands off my hips, 'fore I punch you in the lips! Stop your staring at my- HEY! Take a hint! Take a hint! T-Take a hint, take a hint!"_

Once the music stopped, Marinette did a mic-drop before giving Félix a smirk.

Everyone started cheering for Marinette's performance.

"Understand now, Félix?" Luka asked. "Marinette doesn't like you, nor does she want anything to do with you!"

Instead of listening, Félix stormed over to Marinette, grabbed her by the arm and started dragging her away.

"Hey, hands off, buddy!" Marinette shouted as she yanked it away.

"No! I'm sick of you ducking me like this! Stop telling me "no," because you're the girl that I want!" Félix barked.

Everyone was murmuring in disgust.

Marinette looked at Luka, ran over to him, and gave him the crown, asking him to hold it, before taking off.

"Hey, get back here!" Félix ordered as he ran after Marinette.

Juleka came towards her brother and the two of them looked at each other with neutral expressions before turning back to watch the scene.

Marinette dashed out of the dance, and made a hard right. She chanced a glance behind her, and sure enough, Félix was on her tail, but he was still far enough away that she could easily duck out of sight and lose him. Marinette picked up speed, and dove into an empty room. She shut it, making sure she all but slammed the door.

She looked around and breathed a sigh of relief.

_*BANG!*_

"Hah, trapped like a rat, Marinette." Félix barked as he came in, shut the door, and he smirked down at her like he was examining a peace of meat.

Marinette squeaked and started breathing heavily.

"Time for us to have a little... Fun, honey." He chuckled as he started stepping closer and his hands were in the air, like he was about to grab her.

Marinette tried to duck, but he grabbed her by the shoulders and tried to steal a kiss. He pulled her closer, she tried pushing away, and he kept puckering up.

"Let go of me _right now!_ " Marinette shouted as she shoved Félix away.

He stumbled away, meanwhile he glared at her.

"I don't understand! I've got everything a girl could want, and yet you keep teasing me by saying that you and Luka are a thing!" Félix began. "That crown should be _mine!_ The two of us would be the power couple of the school!"

"Luka _deserves_ to be Formal King! He earned it! He's Prince Charming compared to you, you ogre!" Marinette stated to Félix.

"How so?! I don't get what you see in that blue-haired wannabe rocker!" Félix demanded.

"Oh, _plenty!_ " Marinette began, angry. "He's everything that _you're_ not! He _respects_ me and my wishes, he _doesn't_ touch me without my consent, my parents _adore_ him, as do I! When I'm with him, I feel like everything's fine, like nothing's wrong with me _or_ the world! I love being with him! I have fun with him, he makes me laugh, his music is so soothing and uplifting when I'm down!"

Félix couldn't help but growl at that. He was about to speak up, but Marinette put her hands on her head and she looked up at him in rage.

"And most importantly, he makes me feel _safe!_ With you, I _don't_ feel safe! _Are you listening to me?! I! FEEL! SAFE! WITH! LUKA!_ " Marinette all but screamed.

Félix balked at her. He glowered at her, before saying, "It doesn't matter to me! You're _going_ to be mine, and I won't stop until you give in and leave him! Hurry up and come to me."

Marinette smirked at Félix and giggled, saying, "Not happening. In fact, I don't think you'll be back at this school ever again after tonight."

"Why?" Félix asked.

 _"Cause you're on candid camera and intercom, asshole!"_ Alix shouted.

The screens in the room lit up to reveal everyone's faces, and Marinette said, "Nice work, girls."

"What?! What's going on here?!" Félix demanded.

 _"Once we found out you'd be coming, AND Marinette reported to us that she overheard that you were going to kidnap her to the dance_ , _we set up this trap."_ Alya explained.

"When you got pissed off at me singing to you to take a hint after the Formal King and Queen were announced, we made sure there were enough people recording your behavior on their phones, and had them send the videos to the principal." Marinette continued.

"Excuse me?!" Félix asked.

 _"Not only that, but everything here was broadcasted over the entire school!"_ Myléne added with a laugh.

" _And_ Max got Markov to activate the cameras in here so you'd be caught in the act, _and_ he's recorded everything." Marinette added in a singsong tone.

 _"I actually hear there's a petition going around right now demanding your expulsion, Félix."_ Alya giggled.

"Finally, my parents have recorded every encounter with you or your mother at the bakery, _and_ we have video recordings from the movie premier as added evidence. Jagged Stone's willing to testify on my behalf both in the principal's office _and_ in court." Marinette spoke with a cheeky smile.

 _"What?!"_ Félix roared.

 _"Félix Graham de Vanily!"_ A voice shouted. The door slammed open and Mr. Damocles came in.

"Mr. Damocles!" Marinette said in delight.

 _"My office, Félix. NOW!"_ Damocles ordered.

Félix glared at Marinette, who was smiling at him in triumph. He muttered, "You and that prick of a boyfriend will pay for this!"

"I don't think so, young man!" Damocles began as he grabbed Félix by the arm and started dragging him out the door. "Marinette, why not go back to the dance and have fun? I'll take care of Félix. You and your friends can come and give me your side of the story on Monday... Though I think all that evidence proves your point."

"Okay!" Marinette said as she smiled.

"Also... I know I'm not the best with Chloé, but you should've come to me about Félix so much sooner. It would've saved you so much trouble." Mr. Damocles told her.

"...Thank you." Marinette said with a nod.

Marinette returned to the dance, and everyone was cheering and clapping for how she handled the situation. Luka was there waiting for her. He was beaming in pride as he put the crown back on her head. She giggled.

"How chivalrous of you, my king." Marinette teased.

"You're worth waiting for, my queen." Luka teased back with a wink.

 _"Okay, now that our Formal Queen is back, let's FINALLY let our King and Queen have their first dance!"_ Rose said from up on the stage.

The formal music started going, and Marinette and Luka began their waltz/slow dance. The two of them swirled around the dance floor like they'd been dancing forever.

"You're so unbelievably brave, Marinette," Luka said, hugging her close. "I'm proud of you for doing this. But that plan was kind of convoluted."

"It worked, though, so now that the blonde prick is gone for good... _Let's dance!_ " Marinette said as she and Luka got into a waltz position.

Luka did an underarm turn with her, the two of them continued their waltz, all while smiling and looking at each other with joy.

"So... I know we're at school and all, so I know it's probably not appropriate, but... Marinette..." Luka began as he put his hand to her cheek, and looked at her lips.

Marinette blushed. Everyone was clapping and chanting, _"Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!"_

Marinette looked around, nervous that everyone was turning her moment with Luka into a "Kiss Cam" scenario at a sports game.

She looked up at Luka, who was giving her a smile, and said, "Only if you're okay with it."

"Of course I am!" Marinette said as she took Luka's face into her hands and pulled him in for a kiss. Luka moaned as he maneuvered his face to get better access to her kiss. He dipped her down.

Everyone started cheering and whooping in delight at the scene, with applause and wolf-whistles.

 _"Everyone, our Formal King and Queen!"_ Rose cheered.

Marinette and Luka kept kissing and hugging throughout the rest of the evening.

* * *

_Epilogue_

_After the dance wrapped up, Félix faced proper disciplinary action. Félix tried to play guilty and remorseful, but the principal didn't buy it... No one did, actually. He was expelled from François-Dupont High, the school board banned him from any public schools within Paris, and his family was sued for sexual harassment, stalking, theft and threatening._

_Between the consistent and repeated written, audio,_ and _video_ _evidence of him_ _harassing Marinette, the testimony from Marinette, her parents, her friends, Luka,_ and _Jagged Stone, it was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Félix was guilty of the alleged crimes._

 _Not only was his family forced to pay an_ insurmountable _amount of punitive damages, but Amélie and Félix were forced to give a public apology to the Dupain-Chengs. To but the icing on the cake, Félix was jailed for his behavior, too. It was going to be twenty-five years before he would see the outside again. There was also a strict restraining order placed on him for when he got out, including that he wasn't allowed to contact Marinette_ _online or over the phone, either._

_The Dupain-Chengs and Luka were satisfied with the outcome. Félix was gone, Marinette was safe, justice was served, all was well. Not only that, but the lawsuit brought attention to the bakery, and more people started frequenting their bakery out of support for Marinette's story._

_The incident made the Graham de Vanily family fall out of favor in the film industry, and Amélie wasn't going to recover from it very easily._

_Everyone who read the story expressed sympathy for Marinette, outrage at Félix, and they were all glad it was over (granted, multiple people told Marinette that she should've done something a lot sooner - she agreed)._

_Once all was said and done, peace returned to Marinette's life. She and Luka grew closer as time went on. Luka and the rest of Kitty Section became Jagged Stone's protégé, including getting record deal. Marinette was the band's go-to costume designer and she continued to get commissions from Jagged._

_Life went on, but the one constant was Marinette and Luka were the strongest pair anyone had ever seen. There was even a betting pool on when Luka would drop to a knee and ask Marinette to change her last time to Couffaine._

_Yeah, Marinette never thought the words "graham crackers" would save her skin. But they did, and Marinette was grateful for it.  
_

* * *

**Alright, that's the end of this story! I hope you enjoyed it.**

**If you want more stories for me to add to my "Luka VS. Félix" series, leave a comment below!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the end! Please leave a lot more comments and kudos!

**Author's Note:**

> Let's keep the comments and kudos coming for this story, okay? The more positive comments I get, the better, please!


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